Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 June 2025
952. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many expressions of interest were received during the HEA's two EoI processes to establish the capacity for expansion in training places for key public sector skills. [34391/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn October 2022 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) conducted an expression of interest process for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary. The HEA received 39 expressions of interest from 15 HEIs. An independent expert panel were appointed to assess these submissions. A report was issued to the then Minister FHERIS 31st March 2023 for his consideration in collaboration with the then Minister for Health and Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine. Several proposals have been advanced from this process, including two new veterinary medicine programmes. and new pharmacy, dentistry and medicine programmes.
In April 2025 an interdepartmental working group (IDWG) was established chaired by DFHERIS and including officials from Department of Health, the HSE, the HEA, The Department of Children, Equality and Disability and the Department of Education and Youth. Their remit was to expand the provision of training places for health and social care professions (HSCP) disciplines.
At the instruction of DFHERIS, the HEA conducted an Expression of Interest Process opening on April 14th and closing on April 25th. This sought to identify capacity to increase provision in HSCP training places for nine priority areas, identified by the Department of Health, on existing higher education courses. The HEA received 24 submissions across all nine professions. Following consideration of the results of this Expression of Interest, I, together with my Ministerial colleagues in the Departments of Health, Children, Equality and Disability, and Education and Youth, sought and received Government approval to expand training places in critical HSCP disciplines to include an additional 320 student places in 2025, and a further 141 in subsequent years.
