Q & A

Your education questions answered by Brian Mooney

When my son attended the Irish Times/Institute of Guidance Counsellors Higher Options conference in the RDS in Dublin at the start of this term, he found the event very worthwhile and came home with lots of literature for courses that interest him. Among it was a leaflet from the university of Budapest regarding degree programmes in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and veterinary science. I found the leaflet very interesting because it stated that since Hungary joined the EU on May 1st, the EU directive regarding the professions listed above means that qualifications must be recognised across the EU without any licensing examination.

Given the high points requirement for entry into these courses in Ireland would you advise students to consider studying in Budapest? Will they be able to practice in Ireland once they graduate?

I had a long discussion with the representative from the university of Budapest while he was in Dublin and am travelling to Hungary shortly, to explore this option for Irish students. It is a disgrace that there is such a shortage of places for Irish and other EU students in our medical and paramedical faculties. As I have stated previously, the Government put a cap of 318 places for EU candidates in medicine across all courses in 1983. This was a cost-saving measure in times of financial stringency. Even though we are now one of the wealthiest countries in the world, this has not been reversed.

Since 1983, the universities have been free to expand their programmes to non-EU candidates, who are charged large fees in excess of €20,000. There are now more non-EU students in some courses than Irish students.So where does this leave Irish students who want to study medicine or other paramedical course, but who will not get over 550 points in their Leaving Cert? As with all markets, where there is a customer there will always be someone willing to be a provider. The EU regulations, which you referred to in your question, are clear - once the course is listed by the World Health Organisation it must be recognised in all EU states.

The Irish Medical Council state that if a medical degree complies with the minimum standards laid down in Directive 93/16/EEC it is acceptable for the purpose of registration in Ireland. In some cases, depending on the country, the degree will have to be accompanied by an internship certificate. Graduates of EU medical schools who satisfy the requirements of this directive and who are fully registered with the registration authority in the state where they qualified may be granted full registration in Ireland. The website www.medicalcouncil.ie lists the requirements for each member state.

Doctors who obtain an EU degree and who do not wish to carry out an internship in the country of qualification, where such an internship is required, can apply to be registered for internship registration in Ireland. So far about eight doctors with EU qualifications have been granted internship registration here. There is a difficulty, however, in that there are not enough internship places for graduates of Irish medical schools and doctors coming from elsewhere in the EU may find it very difficult to secure one.

Finally, given that EU candidates must be given first preference over non- EU candidates, I can envisage a situation in a number of years, if Irish students return from other EU states, with medical degrees, where it will be impossible for the non-EU students, who have paid large fees to study in Irish medical colleges, to secure an intern place in an Irish hospital, which is essential for registration purposes.

• Brian Mooney is president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. E-mail questions to