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Foreign medical students in the dock
Read more about: Education, Law
Those with an interest in third-level education will no doubt recall the interest sparked by one Frank Prendergast Jr, whose High Court challenge to the quota system for medicine courses has been the cause of much discussion in educational circles.
The current system is such that only a certain number of Irish students (around 300) are admitted to study medicine each year. However, universities are not obliged to adhere to any such quota as regards non-EU students, whom they can charge huge fees for the privilege. TCD and UCD, for example, look for €27,000 a head, while The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, well known for its high intake of foreign students, charged €40,750 for a non-EU undergraduate last year. Such students do not, however, have to achieve the near-perfect Leaving Certificate scores demanded of Irish students who qualify for free fees.
The argument made by Mr. Prendergast is that Irish students who do not get the required marks to obtain a place under the regular CAO system should be allowed to apply for the places reserved for non-EU students, and stump up the fees. The argument, on a political level, is compelling, given that the sole rationale for educating foreign students ahead of Irish is, realistically, a financial one; the fees taken in are vital to our (underfunded?) universities. If that money can be extracted from Irish students instead, why not?
Legally, too, the case seems to be a strong one. In facts, sources now say that, faced with the formidable legal team of Michael McDowell (remember him?) and Dr. Gerard Hogan, the country’s foremost constitutional law expert, the respondents in the case (the Minister for Education, the Higher Education Authority and the Attorney General) have failed even to enter a defence. This should be confirmed either way over the next few days- you heard it here first, ladies and gents! Such a concession would mean that the case will not even reach the courts- and the current quota system will have been blown wide open. How will such a shake-up affect the recently outlined plan for reform of the way medicine places are allocated by the CAO, due to take effect in 2009? Keep an eye on this one- whether it gets to court or not, the odds are good that Mr. Prendergast will succeed.
Will this effect other faculties? For instance, would Irish kids with a 300 point leaving cert be allowed to study law or commerce if they were willing to pay cash also?
If one Irish student is denied a place on 600 points while another gets in with 300, I think you can expect to see a legal challenge to that too.
The first person to get in by paying will immediately launch a challenge to the fact that they have to pay while the next person doesn’t, will get free fees and will then have that challenged by someone who got higher points than them.
End result: open access to medicine on a points basis. Which is how it should be.
In reply to Niall above you can already Study Law and Commerce and have access to the best legal brains in the country by opting for one of the Private Colleges in Dublin or Cork. I am given to believe that the entrance to the Kings Inns and Blackhall Place are difficult yet the students who have got their LLB etc from these colleges fair exceptionally well. Medicine on the other hand…..no need to have 600 Points to be a good Doctor . I admire Mr. Prendergast for taking on the system . Why should be not be able to study Medicine with 570 points when a student from outside of the EU (who enjoyed the privilidge of a private fee paying eduction at one of our Grind schools and got 420 points ) was able to .
Begs the question should any 17 or 18 year old have to make up their minds so young …. a general degree first … a level of maturity and off you. I have watched this case carefully as I am a Teacher and feel for the LC Students every year with the presure they are under….I am inclined to agree with Keith free entry to everyone on a points system
Any idea of how this case is going or has it been dropped I hope not
The case began in the high court 14july and is expected to last 6 days