Written Answers Nos. 1-13
6. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if students on graduate entry medicine courses will be eligible for SUSI for the 2022-2023 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36767/22]
View answerI have been working very closely with the Minister for Health and his Department and the medical schools to ensure that we can significantly increase the number of doctors educated in Ireland over the coming years. I will be bringing a joint Memorandum to Government on this issue next week, and I hope to be in a position to make a specific announcement with the Minister for Health about how we intend increasing our supply of medical places.
While the primary focus of our engagements to date have been on increasing availability of undergraduate entry places, I recognise the critical importance of graduate entry as a route into medicine.
There are legislative, policy and funding issues which arise in examining the questions of student support for graduate entry medicine. In particular, progression has traditionally been a key feature underpinning Departmental schemes and this is reflected in the Student Support Act 2011. What this means in practice is that students pursuing second degree courses are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants, and therefore graduate-entry medicine students have not qualified for SUSI support.
It is important to say in this context that the Student Grant Scheme and the Student Support Regulations for the next academic year do not include SUSI support for graduate entry medicine.
However, the recently published Student Grant Scheme review identifies public policy questions regarding whether greater flexibility in the criteria for the student grant scheme should be considered in areas of critical skill shortages reflecting graduate entry route.
I welcome the review raising this important issue. My Department will consider the options for reform in this area as part of the implementation of the student grant review and also in the context of ongoing developments regarding medical places.
