May Minister Lawless launches new Pharmacy programme

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, T.D. has formally launched the new Pharmacy programme (MPharm) at University of Galway to provide up to 75 new student places a year.

The new degree marks a significant milestone for healthcare education and is being funded as part of Government investment in the expansion of higher education healthcare programmes. It is the first Master of Pharmacy programme in the West of Ireland.

MInister Lawless formally launched the MPharm during a visit to University of Galway.

Applications for the MPharm are now open through the CAO, with the first intake beginning in September 2025 with 45 places available. In subsequent years, the potential student intake will be 75 places a year.

Formally launching the opening of applications, Minister Lawless T.D. said: “This new Master of Pharmacy programme at University of Galway represents a landmark development for the west of Ireland, for students, and for the future of healthcare education in this country.

“It shows how Government investment in higher education is expanding opportunities for students and addressing workforce needs in our health service. By creating up to 75 new places a year, we are not only enhancing regional access to pharmacy education but also ensuring that communities across Ireland will benefit from a new generation of highly trained, innovative and patient-centred pharmacists.

“I want to commend University of Galway for their leadership and commitment to shaping the healthcare workforce of the future.”

Interim President of University of Galway, Professor Peter McHugh, said: “The launch of the MPharm programme is a major milestone for the University, for the West of Ireland and for healthcare education nationally. By offering this unique programme in University of Galway, through research-led and transformative teaching and learning healthcare, we are contributing to Government initiatives which are addressing the need for a highly skilled workforce that will have a lasting impact on patient care. We look forward to welcoming the first students in September.”

The MPharm degree is an integrated five-year programme which involves students beginning their studies as undergraduates and qualifying with a Masters. The programme will equip graduates with the clinical, scientific and professional skills required for a modern healthcare environment.

It is one part of an expansion of healthcare education at University of Galway and a key element of efforts by the University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences to address critical healthcare workforce shortages in Ireland, in line with its Strategic Plan 2022-25.

University of Galway is planning for the commencement of a Graduate Entry Medicine programme in 2026. It offers a four-year accelerated pathway into Medicine for graduates, allowing them to build on their prior academic achievements to become qualified medical professionals, with a focus on preparing them for careers in rural and remote medicine.

Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer in HSE West and North West, said: “We are delighted to welcome the first new pharmacy programme in the West of Ireland. This is a vital step toward strengthening our healthcare system. Equipping future pharmacists with the skills and support they need while helping address critical workforce shortages across both hospital and community settings. Programmes like the MPharm will enable more efficient and accessible care for our patients in the West and North West."

Dr Martina Ni Chúlain, Director of Strategic Development in University of Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, said: “We are delighted to deliver the first Pharmacy programme in the West of Ireland. By equipping students with advanced skills, including prescribing, we are preparing a generation of pharmacists ready to take on evolving roles in multidisciplinary teams and deliver care closer to patients. It also positions the University as a catalyst for future growth in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries in the region, supporting innovation, job creation and economic development aligned with the strengths of the West.”

Ends