Applications for nursing training courses have increased by over 20 per cent, according to the nursing registration board.
An Bord Altranis today said the high level of interest suggested that all 1,542 places in general, psychiatric and mental nursing could realistically be filled.
Mr Eugene Donoghue, chief executive of the board, said applications from mature students had also increased by 24 per cent, to 1,685.
He said 6,062 applications were made through the CAO and that 2,383 had applied for nursing exclusively.
According to the Department of Health, there were 1,388 nursing vacancies in the Republic last September, although that figure is believed to have fallen following the arrival of several hundred nurses from the Philippines and other non-EU countries.
The first round of offers will be issued on August 20th with the seventh and final round of offers announced on October 11th.
