Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has announced the establishment of a graduate entry programme in medicine from September next year.
The new programme is part of an initiative to increase the supply of qualified doctors.
It will provide a "second chance" route of entry to the profession for those who missed out on a place in medicine at undergraduate level, for which the CAO points requirement in recent years has involved a near-perfect Leaving Certificate.
The Higher Education Authority is to invite proposals from third-level institutions for the provision of the programme. Submissions from interested institutions will be assessed by an independent international panel. It is expected that 60 new places will be offered in 2007, growing to an intake of 240 students per annum after four years.
"The new programme is part of overall plans to more than double the available number of medical education places available to Irish students," Ms Hanafin said.
"This follows the recommendations of a working group on undergraduate medical education, chaired by Prof Patrick Fottrell, earlier this year.
"The introduction of these new places is already under way in the current academic year, with the provision of an initial 70 additional undergraduate places for Irish and EU students."
She added: "I was delighted to secure the necessary resources in the 2007 Estimates to continue that progress. A total of €10 million will now be available to me next year for medical education reforms.
"This will enable the introduction of the new graduate programme from next autumn, as well as further increases in undergraduate numbers." Entry to the four-year programme will be open to graduates of honours bachelor degrees in all disciplines. An expert group is finalising its advice on a selection test and entry criteria.
"This alternate route of entry, together with the expansion of undergraduate places, will relieve the acute pressure on aspiring medical students at the Leaving Certificate stage," Ms Hanafin said.
