Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
907. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether the 612 additional healthcare education places announced in August 2026 are restricted to Irish and EU students; if not, the number that may be allocated to non-EU students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68444/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe additional healthcare education places approved by Government in August 2026 form part of a broader programme of healthcare workforce expansion being delivered in support of national workforce planning priorities, including the implementation of Sláintecare and the Programme for Government. The additional healthcare education places approved by Government are intended to address identified workforce shortages and increase the supply of healthcare professionals available to work in Ireland's health, disability and social care services. As such, the Government-funded expansion measures are primarily targeted on increasing capacity for Irish and EU students.
Since 2022, Government has approved over 1,600 additional annual healthcare training places across medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine and a range of Health and Social Care Professions. This includes 612 places approved under the 2022 healthcare expansion measures, 200 additional annual medicine places under the 2022 Medicine Expansion Agreement, and a further 735 places approved through subsequent healthcare workforce expansion measures in 2025 and 2026. These investments are designed to increase domestic training capacity and support the long-term workforce needs identified by the Department of Health, the HSE and other Government partners.
The Government's objective in supporting these additional places is to strengthen Ireland's domestic healthcare workforce pipeline and ensure that sufficient numbers of healthcare professionals are trained to meet future service needs. While international students continue to make an important contribution to Irish higher education and the wider economy, these healthcare expansion measures are being delivered in response to national workforce planning requirements and are intended principally to support the education and training of healthcare professionals for the Irish health and social care system.
Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies with responsibility for admissions and student recruitment, including the admission of Irish, EU and international students, subject to relevant legislative, regulatory and funding arrangements.
