Ninth Level Ireland

“IDA Ireland might be feeling a little bit ‘damned if they do, and damned if they don’t’ when it comes to the kinds of foreign direct investment projects the agency goes after. An agency report compiled by the OECD rightly highlighted the success of Ireland’s FDI policies and the agency most responsible for making the investments happen …” (more)

[Richard Curran, Independent, 24 January]

“Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has called on the Economy Minister to use funding available to help support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. John O’Dowd said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 23 January]

“Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris has said that the current third-level system is ‘not fit for purpose’ in an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk. Speaking on Thursday morning, Harris outlined his new idea for an integrated application portal that would enable students to view all further study options available to them post-Leaving Certificate …” (more)

[Isobel Dunne, College Tribune, 23 January]

“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for including commercial premises in the roll-out of extended virtual campuses by a provider (details supplied); the selection criteria and process for commercial premises; if students will be able to assess the Wi-Fi without being paying customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 21 January]

“Some €5.4 million is to be spent on initiatives to help third-level students with disabilities, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris announced today. The initiatives are designed to improve college campuses and will also assist staff with training and development …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 22 January]

“Members of University Council have slammed the Provost’s decision to refuse to hold a vote on a contentious Schols quota system at yesterday’s Council meeting. The quota system – which limits the number of Scholars elected this year to 60 – was approved by Council yesterday …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 21 January]

“Higher Education Institutions across Ireland are being invited to submit course proposals for the 2021/2022 Springboard+ programme. Springboard+ 2021 will provide an estimated 10,000 places across approximately 250 courses and will be offered to people wishing to reskill/upskill or return to education …” (more)

[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 21 January]

“Speaking to the Dáil today, Independent TD, Denis Naughton, called for UCD and Trinity College to make a formal apology for their part in the vaccine trials which were conducted in mother-baby-homes between 1960 and 1973 …” (more)

[Emma Hanrahan, College Tribune, 21 January]

“Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information and clarity on a timeline and programme of engagement with personnel from the GMIT Mayo campus on the independent working group report …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 20 January]

“Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on working with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to develop a publicly financed student accommodation building strategy and charter for student tenant rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 20 January]

“Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if third level students who did not qualify for free fees will receive a refund of their student contribution fees in view of the fact that the majority of students have been forced to move to online learning since the start of the academic year due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 20 January]

“‘An té nach gcuireann san earrach, ní bhaineann sé’. This old Irish proverb, meaning ‘whoever does not plant in the spring, does not reap in the autumn’, is one we should all take particular note of when contemplating a lasting solution for the funding of third-level education in Ireland …” (more)

[Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Business Post, 20 January]

“Irish universities have dropped steadily in research spending rankings among OECD countries since 2008, according to a report published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In 2018, Ireland was ranked 23rd out of 37 countries, a fall of nine places since 2008 …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 20 January]

“The University of Limerick says more than 100 international students who have arrived in Limerick in recent days ahead of the Spring semester are complying with all public health guidelines and regulations. The PhD students, who travelled from Algeria on a specially chartered flight, quarantined for 14 days and tested negative for Covid-19 before their departure …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 20 January]

“Students who have arrived in College accommodation but decide to return home for semester two between January 24th and February 28th will only be charged to the date that they leave their room, Trinity announced this evening …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 20 January]

“During a presentation to UCD’s Governing Authority in October, university officials revealed new figures demonstrating a dramatic increase in complaints. These figures show that incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct have been largely underreported at UCD …” (more)

[Conor Capplis, College Tribune, 20 January]

“French university students protested Wednesday on Paris’ Left Bank to demand to be allowed back to class and to call attention to suicides and financial troubles among students cut off from friends, professors and job opportunities amid the pandemic …” (more)

[Independent, 20 January]

“Michael Byrne, the homeless man affectionately known as ‘Old Man Belfield’, did not believe he was homeless because ‘UCD was his home’, his funeral Mass was told. The 71-year-old, who spent more than 40 years roaming the south Dublin campus and died while sleeping rough there on January 11th, was remembered by UCD chaplain Fr Eamonn Bourke at as ‘an important member of our community’ …” (more)

[Simon Carswell, Irish Times, 20 January]

“A student nurse had to help an elderly patient shower after his toe fell off, the Dáil has heard. As the TD’s debated the motion of pay for student nurses and midwives, Sinn Féin TD for Kildare, Patricia Ryan, read one nurse’s particularly gruesome account into the Dáil record …” (more)

[Steven Heaney, Irish Examiner, 20 January]

“A 21-year-old student nurse has described her anger at the Government debating whether or not to allocate people in her role a €100-a-week allowance while she holds the hands of dying Covid-19 patients. Tessa Bock says student nurses have been recognised as frontline workers since the start of the pandemic last March. ‘We had to quit jobs, sacrifice our health and our families’ health and dive right into the middle of it all’ …” (more)

[Olivia Kelleher, Irish Times, 20 January]