Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
786. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of undergraduate places available in each university medical school for each of the years 2021 to 2025; the number of those places allocated to Irish, EU, and non-EU students respectively in each of those years; the fee charged to each category of student in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35847/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise the importance of, and remain firmly committed to, reducing barriers to participation in higher education, including for students pursuing undergraduate medicine. In parallel, I am also committed to expanding medical education capacity in a planned, sustainable manner, aligned with national workforce planning needs and the availability of high-quality clinical placements.
A central element of this approach has been the implementation of the 2022 agreement with medical schools, under which Government committed to prioritising the creation of 200 additional undergraduate medicine places over five years. The rollout of these additional EU undergraduate medicine places has continued on a phased basis across the medical schools and is expected to deliver the full 200 places by the end of this year.
Alongside the expansion of existing capacity, my Department is also supporting the development of new undergraduate medicine provision to further strengthen domestic supply and broaden access routes. A new undergraduate medicine programme at the University of Limerick is due to commence student intake in September 2026, subject to accreditation. This will represent a significant further expansion of undergraduate medicine capacity outside the traditional medical schools.
In addition, and as part of a broader cross-border collaboration to increase medical graduate supply in the short term, Government approval in 2024 enabled an agreement with Queen’s University Belfast to fund 50 undergraduate medicine places, delivered as 25 students commencing in September 2024 and a further 25 students commencing in September 2025. Students availing of these funded places are required to apply for an HSE internship upon graduation and to accept the position if offered, supporting the long-term supply of doctors to the Irish public health system.
Turning to fees, undergraduate medicine fees vary by institution and by student category. For Irish and other EU students on publicly supported undergraduate medicine places at institutions including Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Galway and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, tuition costs are met primarily through Exchequer funding, with students liable only for the standard student contribution, which is currently €2,500 per annum, following the permanent reduction introduced in Budget 2026. Higher fees apply to non-EU students, with fee levels set by institutions in line with national fee policy and institutional autonomy. These fees may vary from institution, year to year, in line with the institution's statutory autonomy.
With regard to the specific information requested by the Deputy, details on the number of undergraduate medicine places available in each medical school, including a breakdown of Irish, EU and non-EU places, have been compiled from data provided by the Higher Education Authority and are being provided in tabular format due to the level of detail involved.
Finally, while the question relates primarily to undergraduate medicine, I would note that the State also provides substantial support for Graduate Entry Medicine. In the current academic year, DFHERIS part-subsidises tuition fees for eligible EU students on Graduate Entry Medicine, including subsidies of over €16,250 per student for additional GEM places created under the 2022 expansion agreement. Total Exchequer funding for GEM tuition subsidies is approximately €13 million annually, representing a record level of State investment in medical education.
