“Sinn Féin spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Rose Conway-Walsh has called on Further and Higher Education to be made accessible and affordable for everyone irrespective of their age, geography or financial circumstances …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 6 August]
“Sinn Féin TD Kathleen Funchion is calling for third-level education to be made accessible and affordable for everyone, irrespective of age, geography or financial circumstances. Deputy Funchion is asking students in the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency to ‘tell their story’ by filling out Sinn Féin’s survey on the grants system …” (more)
[Suzanne Pender, Carlow Nationalist, 6 August]
“Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports that have been put in place to help students returning to third-level education who are uncertain as to the way in which they will pay fees, especially in cases in which part-time income has been affected by Covid-19 …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 30 July]
“The Department of Education has promised ring-fenced funding of €1 million for students undertaking a Professional Master of Education (PME). Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, announced today that an additional €1 million will be given to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for PME students who are experiencing financial difficulties …” (more)
[Emma Hanrahan, College Tribune, 30 July]
“Third-level students are calling for detailed timetables to allow them make informed decisions on whether or not they need to secure rented accomodation for the upcoming academic year. Universities have provided start dates for students, academic planning is continuing and each facility is scheduling for a blended or hybrid learning approach in line with Covid-19 restrictions …” (more)
[Gail Conway, RTÉ News, 26 July]
“Mayo Sinn Fein TD Rose Conway-Walsh has welcomed specific funding to support third-level institutions reopening but has said that students are still ‘in the dark’ about how blended learning will work …” (more)
[Connaught Telegraph, 23 July]
“Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to reports that a third level institution (details supplied) is not refunding prepaid rent for campus accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 21 July]
“Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she will introduce to provide protections for third level students in circumstances in which many are expected to pay accommodation deposits and a number of months’ rent up front when it is not clear whether they will be attending their colleges for classes in the coming term; if she will ensure that legislative protections are introduced to ensure that those providing student accommodation cannot take advantage of students in view of the current circumstances; if her attention has been drawn to the large demands being placed on students for payments up front despite the fact that many received no refunds for last term; and if she will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 21 July]
“Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has announced a €168m package for third-level institutions and students to cover costs incurred during the coronavirus pandemic and to support students returning to college in September …” (more)
[Aine McMahon, Independent, 22 July]
“More than 10,000 third-level students are to be given money to buy laptops, iPads, and other tablets, and also to connect them to the internet so they can study from home. Under a plan to be announced today by Simon Harris, the higher education minister …” (more)
[Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner, 22 July]
“A €500 reduction must be made to the Student Contribution Charge immediately to ease some of the financial pressure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Union of Students in Ireland. Government must also support students who will be expected to work remotely for much of the new academic year by creating and investing in a new scheme that provides access to devices and better WiFi …” (more)
[USI, 21 July]
“The father of a Limerick student has described as ‘morally wrong’ the refusal of a student village to refund rent which was paid for accommodation that his son had to subsequently leave due to the Covid-19 pandemic …” (more)
[Aine Fitzgerald, Limerick Leader, 19 July]
“While Ireland’s big universities have mounted something of a minor resurgence in the global rankings this year, the last decade has generally seen them take a clanging and clattering descent down the ladder of international academic prestige …” (more)
[Independent, 17 July]
“Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent): To ask the Minister for Finance if third-level student accommodation providers that have refused to refund accommodation costs to students forced to leave college due to the Covid-19 pandemic will not receive State Covid-19 supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil debates, 16 July]
“Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the options open to third-level students whose private landlords refused to provide rent refunds to students forced to leave accommodation due to Covid-19; his plans to encourage landlords to provide refunds; and if she will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 14 July]
“Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if further consideration has been given to or the status of a financial package for the third-level institutions; and if so, if it will include increased SUSI, HEAR, DARE and Access funding to ensure expansion of access to third-level education …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 14 July]
“Planned rent increases remain on the cards at University College Cork (UCC), with students continuing to ask the university to consider reversing its stance on the matter. In February, students pitched tents on the UCC quad and vowed to stay put until the university backed down on the planned 3% hike in campus accommodation rates …” (more)
[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 25 June]
“Third-level students need clarity by the end of June on what to expect when colleges reopen in the autumn in order to make informed decisions about their next steps, the president of the Union of Students in Ireland has said …” (more)
[Éanna Ó Caollaí, Irish Times, 17 June]
“When it comes to managing its accommodation, it seems Trinity simply cannot stop getting itself into trouble. Dozens of students who left Kavanagh Court in a hurry in March – when Trinity erroneously told them they had to leave, before a startling volte-face the following day – have been offered rent refunds that don’t cover the full period of time that they spent out of the complex …” (more)
[University Times, 14 June]
