Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
97. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action his Department is taking to improve the number of places in healthcare and therapy areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40446/23]
View answerSignificant engagement is ongoing between my Department, the Department of Health, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Education to develop a joined-up approach to address system level demand in therapeutic disciplines and healthcare programmes.
This year 460 additional places were created in health care related programmes including therapy disciplines. This represents meaningful additionality within existing infrastructure, and includes an additional 60 EU medicine places, bringing to 120 the number of additional EU medicine places over the 2021 baseline.
My Department and the Departments of Health both North and South have agreed 200 places across Ulster University and Queens University Belfast in nursing for students from the Republic of Ireland. Ulster University have provided 50 places in therapy disciplines, 20 places each in occupational therapy and physiotherapy, and 10 places in speech and language therapy, from this September.
As the Deputy may be aware the Higher Education Authority recently conducted and expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary Medicine from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. Significant options for expansion were identified, and these options are being considered in the context of Budgetary Processes and the National Development Plan review. A further process will consider options to build capacity in priority therapy disciplines.
