Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
908. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 788 of 14 May 2026 relating to pharmacy student numbers, to provide an update on the tabular data referred to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68441/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 788 of 14 May 2026, the updated information provided by the Higher Education Authority in respect of Year 1 students enrolled on undergraduate pharmacy programmes is set out in the table below.
|
HEI |
2022/23 EU (incl. NI/UK) |
2022/23 Non-EU |
2022/23 Total |
2023/24 EU (incl. NI/UK) |
2023/24 Non-EU |
2023/24 Total |
2024/25 EU (incl. NI/UK) |
2024/25 Non-EU |
2024/25 Total |
|
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland |
50 |
35 |
85 |
65 |
25 |
90 |
95 |
35 |
130 |
|
Trinity College Dublin |
80 |
5 |
85 |
75 |
5 |
80 |
75 |
15 |
90 |
|
University College Cork |
65 |
10 |
75 |
70 |
5 |
75 |
75 |
10 |
85 |
|
Total |
195 |
50 |
245 |
210 |
35 |
245 |
245 |
60 |
305 |
Source: Higher Education Authority.
The data show that the number of students enrolled in the first year of undergraduate pharmacy programmes increased from 245 in 2022/23 to 305 in 2024/25, an increase of approximately 24% over the period.
This increase reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to expanding healthcare education capacity in line with national workforce planning requirements. As outlined in my previous response, the Government secured a €28.5 million investment in 2026 to support the delivery of over 1,100 additional healthcare training places annually over the next three years, including 161 additional pharmacy places.
In addition to increasing capacity within existing programmes, pharmacy education provision has expanded significantly in recent years through the establishment of new pharmacy programmes at Atlantic Technological University and the University of Galway in 2025, with a further programme commencing at South East Technological University in 2026. These developments will support the continued growth in pharmacy student numbers and help meet future workforce needs across the health service.
My Department will continue to work closely with the Higher Education Authority, the Department of Health and higher education institutions to support the sustainable expansion of pharmacy education capacity as part of the Government's wider commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce in line with the objectives of Sláintecare and the Programme for Government.
