Plans afoot to add 200 extra medicine college places

The Government will soon be asked to agree to a proposal to increase the number of medicine places by 200 by 2025 under proposals to expand the third level system.

The number of doctors trained in the country could be set to significantly increase under a five-year plan offering more students a college place on the in-demand course. 

The Government will soon be asked to agree to a proposal to increase the number of medicine places by 200 by 2025 under proposals to expand the third level system.

Traditionally one of the highest-demand undergraduate courses, the first round of CAO cut-off points increased at almost every medicine course last year. Many places were also determined by random selection under the first round of college places offered to students last year.

It is understood that Simon Harris, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, is preparing to bring a five-year plan to the Government next month, which includes increasing the number of medicine places available by a third. The plan could see an increase of 120 places over the next two years, beginning this September, with some of the additional places to be reserved for people from priority groups identified by the new National Access Plan.

Mr. Harris is also understood to be in discussions with officials in the North about medicine places in universities there for students who apply through the CAO. It is expected this will begin in 2023, with 50 additional places.

The plan to increase the number of students studying medicine is understood to form part of proposals to expand third level to be brought to the Government in May. For the 2022/23 academic year, the plans are understood to focus on increasing places in healthcare, social care, engineering, and climate change.

“Over the coming weeks, I will be asking Government to expand the third level system again,” Mr Harris said. 

Unlike previous years, these additional places will be targeted in areas where there are skills shortages.

“We know there is increased demand across health courses and we are working with our third-level institutions and the Department of Health to develop a clear plan to increase the number of places in areas of high demand.”

“We also have to increase the pathways between further and higher education too and we will bring proposals to Government on that shortly.”

Meanwhile, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has called for significant additional funding for the third-level sector. The union has also reiterated its call for a levy to be applied to corporate profits to generate a dedicated fund for higher education. 

"The most obvious point to make regarding Technological Universities (TUs) is that they must be properly funded if they are to achieve their considerable potential," said Martin Marjoram, TUI president. "To date, the political system has failed to answer our repeated insistence that the era of underfunding at third level must end." 

The ratio of students to teaching staff at Third Level in Ireland has increased from 20:1 to 23:1 compared to the OECD and European averages of 15:1.