The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, is set to back a major expansion in the number of places available in medical education, after a further rise in CAO points requirements.
In today's first round offers, the points needed for medicine increased again, reaching 590 in Trinity. This is the equivalent of almost six A1s in the Leaving Cert, a level achieved by just 145 Leaving Cert students this year.
Points for virtually all medical or paramedical and nursing courses have increased.
However, points have generally fallen for most arts, commerce and law courses. Points for arts in UCD - the most popular third-level course in the State - have fallen 10 points to 360. For the first time, arts at NUI Maynooth requires more points (370) than for UCD.
Last night, Ms Hanafin said there was a clear need for an expansion in medical places from the current 308 - Northern Ireland provides almost as many places for a much smaller population.
Ms Hanafin stressed, however, that any final decision would be taken in consultation with her colleague, Minister for Health Mary Harney.
Last night, Brian Mooney of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors said points for medicine had reached "the point of no return. A major expansion is required urgently to avoid a crisis in our health service."
The Cabinet will consider a report on the issue by an expert group chaired by Prof Patrick Fottrell. The Fottrell group has recommended an increase in the number of medical training places from 308 to 725.
This increase is based on the need to address growing medical manpower pressures, as well as catering for the proposed expansion of consultant and GP numbers.
The report also backed a new graduate entry model to medical education.
Another striking feature of today's first round is the drop in points for most level six and seven certificate and ordinary degree programmes in the institutes of technology and other colleges.
This reflects a rise in the number of level eight or higher degree programmes being offered by third-level colleges.
On medicine, the CAO figures will intensify the pressure on the Government for reform. Last week, The Irish Times reported that just 4 per cent of the 12,000 students who applied for places in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary secured places.
The figures indicated how first-time Leaving Cert students are losing out to repeat students and students from Britain and Northern Ireland.
In all, 823 places were available in those disciplines but almost 40 per cent went to repeats and A-level students. In practice, just about 500 places were available in these four areas to current Leaving Cert students.
The Fottrell group also said the number of training places for non-EU students should be capped at 25 per cent. At present, such students secure over 50 per cent of all places in medicine at a market rate of over €30,000 per place.
Other features of today's CAO points include:
- A drop in points across a huge range of tourism and hospitality courses, reflecting fears over employment potential in this area.
- A fall in points for engineering at DCU and NUI Maynooth but an increase at NUI Galway and the University of Limerick.
- Teaching remains popular. Points are up by five to 460 at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin.