This article is from page 7 of the 2006-08-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick is holding fast to its efforts to have a post-graduate medical school situated on the Clare side of its campus, despite claims that the mid-west bid was rejected out of hand.
The University has drawn up a detailed proposal for a graduate entry school, which would have involved a major expansion and development into Clare.
But according to Limerick’s Mayor, Cllr Diarmuid Scully, Minister Mary Hanafin indicated that she had excluded UL as an option when she announced plans for more medical school places.
Pointing to the Minister’s intentions to have more places at the Royal College of Surgeons and University College Dublin, Cllr Scully described the decision as a “grave blow” for the mid-west. But UL’s Professor Paul Finucane, who is spearheading the school bid, said that the proposal is going ahead.
“He pointed out that the Ministers for Health and Education promised last February that there would be a competitive tendering process for the graduate entry school,” Professor Finnucane said.
“We have been waiting for this to commence as an interested party who would be allowed to tender. And we intend to put forward a very compelling case.”
The graduate school is needed because of the large drop out rate among young doctors. It is hoped the school would attract mature students with other third level degrees in medicine.