Ministry, Medical Universities in Ireland Sign Deal to Increase Number of EU Students by 200 in Five Years

The number of places for EU students at medical universities in Ireland is expected to increase by 200 over the next five years following a deal signed lately.

The agreement reached with medical universities, which was announced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, will begin in September this year, with an additional 60 EU students, up to 120 in September 2023 and 200 students in 2026.

On this occasion, Minister Harris noted that study places are created after the extensive engagement over the past few months with all Irish medical education institutions, Erudera College News reports.

“I very much welcome the engagement of the medical schools with my department and the Department of Health in creating these places for students starting 2022 and growing over the coming years,” Minister Harris said, pointing out the importance of prioritizing areas with the most need including healthcare as authorities work to expand and reform Ireland’s third level system.

Harris also updated the government colleagues on the continual engagement with universities across Northern Ireland to allow students from Ireland to apply for medicine courses through the Central Applications Office (CAO) system, which manages applications of undergraduate applicants to higher education institutions in Ireland.

The increase in the number of places available for EU students will be funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and the Department of Health.

Commenting on the deal, Minister Donnelly said it is a step forward to enable the department and HSE to prepare for the future workforce in the health sector.

He said that the ministry is aware of the demands placed on those who work in the healthcare system, in particular since the COVID-19 outbreak.

“By increasing the number of doctors in the system, we are taking a step towards addressing the needs of the entire system, to allow it to continue to respond and allowing some much needed support for those frontline workers who have managed so well, caring for people over the course of the pandemic,” Donnelly added.

According to a press release published on the website of the Government of Ireland, the following medical institutions will be able to host more undergraduate students in September 2022:

NUI Galway – 11 extra study places

Trinity College Dublin – 11 extra study places

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – 11 extra study places

University College Cork – 11 extra study places

University College Dublin – 11 extra study places

University of Limerick – 5 extra study places