Minister Lawless announces €28.5m investment to deliver over 1,100 new third level healthcare places
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, today visited Maynooth University’s new School of Nursing to announce the Government’s plan to expand healthcare education capacity nationwide. The announcement forms part of a €28.5 million investment in 2026, enabling higher education institutions to deliver over 1,100 new healthcare course places each year over the next three years.
This investment represents a 27% increase in annual training capacity across key healthcare disciplines, including medicine, nursing, allied health, social care, pharmacy, dentistry, radiography and veterinary medicine. The expansion will play a central role in strengthening Ireland’s future health and social care workforce, reducing the need for students to pursue training abroad, and ensuring the health system can meet rising demands in the years ahead.
Speaking during the visit, Minister Lawless said:
"Today’s announcement marks one of the largest expansions of healthcare training capacity the State has ever undertaken. Over the next three years, more than 1,100 additional healthcare course places will be created every year.
"These new places will help secure the long term resilience of our health workforce and significantly reduce our reliance on students travelling abroad to train.
"Here at Maynooth University, I am delighted to see the new School of Nursing already making a real impact. The programme delivered 30 places in its first year, with plans to grow to 100 places annually. Importantly, half of these places will be available through alternative pathways beyond the traditional CAO, widening access and supporting a more diverse student body.
"By expanding capacity in institutions nationwide, including right here in Maynooth, we are investing in the people and professions our health system depends on, ensuring we can meet the needs of a growing population in the years ahead."
The wider sector‑wide expansion includes increases in:
- Nursing and midwifery
- Medicine
- Therapies and allied health professions
- Pharmacy
- Social care
- Dentistry, radiography and veterinary medicine
Higher education institutions across Ireland are developing new programmes, and expanding existing ones, which is aligned to increasing clinical placement capacity by the HSE. The establishment of the new School of Nursing at Maynooth University further strengthens the national pipeline of future healthcare professionals.
This investment also supports the development of new infrastructure, clinical partnerships and long term planning between the higher education and health sectors, ensuring that the current expansion is both sustainable and future focused.
Notes
- DFHERIS is working with the HEA and sector partners to expand CAO‑accessible healthcare and disability therapy programmes, with new programme development commencing in early 2026.
- The 2022 commitment to add 200 medicine places is nearly complete, with only 20 remaining to be delivered next September.
- Two new veterinary programmes, at ATU and SETU, announced last year and beginning in 2026 will double Ireland’s veterinary training capacity
- Funding continues for Medicine, Nursing and allied health places in Northern Ireland, maintaining essential cross border training pathways for Irish students.
- Further capacity increases for 2026 and later years are currently under active engagement with higher education institutions.