4201. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to introduce a State-backed loan scheme for graduate entry medicine students; the timeline for these supports to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56785/26]

I am committed, under the Programme for Government, to introducing a tuition fee support scheme for Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) students and to expanding Graduate Entry Medicine provision, including programmes focused on preparing students for careers in rural and remote medicine.

Graduate Entry Medicine forms part of the Government’s broader commitment to increase the number of healthcare training places across medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and health and social care professions. My Department has made significant progress in expanding medical education capacity, with the number of new entrant EU/EEA medicine places increasing from 720 in 2021 to 840 in 2023 and due to reach 920 by 2026.

Graduate Entry Medicine programmes are second-degree courses and, as such, students are not eligible for support under the Free Fees Initiative or for SUSI fee grants. Tuition fees for these programmes are set by individual higher education institutions and reflect the high cost of programme delivery, including clinical training, staffing, facilities and placement requirements. In allocating finite resources for student supports, the Government has prioritised the Free Fees Initiative measure to support undergraduate students across the higher education system, reflecting a longstanding principle of fairness and ensuring that support is directed towards those undertaking a first higher education qualification.

However, the State already provides a substantial subsidy towards the cost of EU Graduate Entry Medicine places through the Higher Education Authority. This support has increased significantly in recent years and, by 2026, all GEM places will receive State funding of €16,900 per student per year. Total annual Exchequer investment in Graduate Entry Medicine is now approximately €13 million. In addition, students may avail of a range of other supports, including the Student Assistance Fund, bursaries provided under the National Access Plan and tax relief on eligible tuition fees.

Graduate Entry Medicine has also formed part of the wider expansion of medical education capacity. Since 2021, the Government has supported a significant increase in medicine places, with overall capacity due to increase by 27 per cent by 2026. This expansion is intended to ensure that Ireland can train the doctors required to meet current and future healthcare needs.

In relation to the introduction of additional tuition fee supports, the Programme for Government contains a clear commitment to introduce a support scheme for Graduate Entry Medicine students. Work in this area is being actively progressed by the Department of Health, with engagement from my Department and other relevant stakeholders. As this work remains ongoing, I am not in a position to provide a definitive timeline for implementation at this stage.

The Government remains committed to improving affordability for Graduate Entry Medicine students while continuing to expand medical training capacity. Options for supporting Graduate Entry Medicine students are being actively considered as part of ongoing cross-Government discussions, including in the context of the annual Estimates process and wider budgetary considerations. Any future proposals will need to be considered alongside other expenditure priorities and in the context of the overall resources available to Government.