asked the Minister for Education the number of students who were successful at the pre-medical examination at UCC in 1970; the number of places available in the medical school at UCC in 1970-71; and how many of these places are filled by students from outside the 26 Counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UCC Medical School.
30.
A total of 73 candidates passed the 1970 pre-medical examination at UCC. There are 76 places available in the 1970-71 first medical class, of which 16 will be reserved for candidates who qualified at the 1969 pre-medical examinations but for whom places were not available in the 1969-70 first medical class. It is anticipated that seven of 76 places will be filled by candidates whose parents are not at present resident in Ireland. The parents of five of these candidates are of Irish nationality.
Can the Minister say why he has refused to acknowledge the fact, in reply to previous questions in this regard, that Irish students with the proper qualifications have been refused admission to medical schools in this country?
What I have pointed out to the Deputy is that there are a certain number of places and of these places seven will be filled by candidates whose parents are not resident in this country but five of whom are of Irish nationality.
The Minister has stated that a certain number of students have passed the pre-medical examination but not all of them have been accepted into medical schools. Can the Minister explain why?
Some of them will be accepted next year as the Deputy would have found out had he waited for the reply to the next question.
Is the Minister aware that there is the greatest dissatisfaction and an impairment of efficiency when a student has to wait for one year before he can get into medical school?
Is the Deputy suggesting that we should turn out an unlimited number of doctors?
I am asking why take students into pre-medical school when there are not places available for them in medical school?
It appears to me that the Deputy is suggesting, not only in this question but in many other questions, that we should turn out an unlimited number of doctors. I do not accept that this should be done.
Is the Minister suggesting that students who wish to become doctors should be deprived of that right?
Is Deputy Harte also suggesting that we turn out an unlimited number of loctors?
I have said that anybody who wishes to become a doctor should not be prevented.
What about our constitutional rights?
I am calling Question No. 31.
31.
asked the Minister for Education whether a person (name supplied) who was successful in the pre-medical examinations in UCC was refused admission to the medical school at UCC.
I have been informed by the UCC authorities that the candidate referred to by the Deputy was not placed sufficiently high in the order of merit list of results at the 1970 pre-medical examination to secure him a place in first medical class in 1970-71. It is understood, however, that he is among a limited number of candidates who qualified at the 1970 examination for whom places will be reserved in the 1971-72 class.
Is the Minister aware that the standard set in pre-medical examinations is a completely artificial standard? It is directly related to the number of places available in the medical school and bears no relation to the entry standard. Seven places in the medical school have been taken up by students from outside the 26 Counties.
Is the Deputy suggesting that those who are born of Irish parents, some of whom have Irish nationality, whose parents may be living abroad, should be deprived of the right to enter the medical school in Cork?
I am suggesting that if one Irish student is deprived of a place in any university because a citizen of another country is given a place, then there is something wrong with the administration of the universities.
The student involved here happens to be a constituent of mine. I would ask the Minister if this man who was successful as a pre-medical student should give way to foreign students, two of whom are Indian and two of whom are English?
Two of whom are from an underdeveloped country. I am sure the Deputy accepts we have some responsibility towards underdeveloped countries.
As the Minister has mentioned underdeveloped countries, I would point out that there are some students in Cork whose parents are not as affluent as some of the people around Dublin. This fact has been forgotten by successive Ministers.
That is not what the Deputy referred to in his previous supplementary.