Ninth Level Ireland

“The president of the University of Limerick has expressed her ‘huge disappointment’ at some of the comments made by students on national radio earlier this week. Professor Kerstin Mey was reacting to a report on RTÉ’s Drivetime during which several UL students, living in off-campus accommodation, openly admitted attending house parties and social gatherings in breach of the current Level 5 restrictions …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 25 February]

“Gardaí will be conducting high visibility patrols every evening around the University of Limerick (UL) due to concerns about student gatherings, according to the President of the university. The move comes after the university began mass testing their students, to manage an outbreak of Covid-19 among the student population earlier this week …” (more)

[Tadgh McNally, TheJournal.ie, 25 February]

“The number of University of Limerick students referred for Covid-19 tests has risen by more than 10 times in just two weeks. Dr Ronan Ryder, the director of the student health centre at the college, said the service referred fewer than five patients for testing 14 days ago …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 23 February]

“The President of the University of Limerick has directly appealed to students to stay apart from each other and not to visit any other households. In a video message posted on social media this Saturday evening, Professor Kerstin Mey said there is concern about the number of cases of Covid-19 associated with students …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 20 February]

“Public Health Mid-West has identified a number of positive Covid-19 tests following last weekends testing at the University of Limerick, and now fears have arisen surrounding clusters in shared off-campus housing …” (more)

[Mike Finnerty, Limerick Voice, 19 February]

“Almost 250 Covid-19 cases have occurred in outbreaks among third-level students in Galway and Limerick despite colleges being largely closed, according to public health officials. In Galway, 135 cases have been confirmed among students, along with 35 suspected cases. Another 30 students were being tested on Monday …” (more)

[Paul Cullen, Irish Times, 15 December]

“The President of the students’ union at University of Limerick has urged students returning to campus or shared accommodation to act safely, but said there has been incidences where a positive case of Covid-19 has spread rapidly in a household where self-isolation can be difficult …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 16 February]

“Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he or his Department has had discussions with University of Limerick on its policy of not offering refunds to students who cannot use their on-campus accommodation due to Covid-19; if his attention has been drawn to the hardship this is causing students, many of whom have also lost the part-time work they engaged in, and many of whose parents have also seen a decrease in income due to Covid 19; if he or his Department has had these discussions, the result of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 11 February]

“The High Court has dismissed a bid by a former Human Resources Director with the University of Limerick’s to halt an investigation into his alleged role in the suspected misuse of funds regarding the college’s pension scheme …” (more)

[Aodhan O’Faolain, Limerick Leader, 11 February]
[The ruling is here.]

“The University of Limerick (UL) is to facilitate on-campus Covid-19 tests in a bid to prevent further transmission of the virus among students. The tests, carried out by HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, come in response to a reported rise in cases of the disease in recent weeks in the Castletroy area of the city. These are believed to be associated with students in off-campus accommodation …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 9 February]

“The Department of Public Health has expressed concern over increases in Covid-19 transmission in the Mid-West, linked to social gatherings involving the student population. Public Health Mid-West appealed for this behaviour to stop, as the country reaches ‘a critical period of the Covid-19 pandemic’ … (more)

[David Raleigh, Irish Examiner, 3 February]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris has today announced an investment of €193 million in five Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres for six years. Lero, the SFI Research Centre for Software, led by University of Limerick (UL) and ADAPT, a SFI research centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology led by Trinity College Dublin in partnership with Munster Technological University (MTU) and other universities and institutes of technology across the country are among those to benefit …” (more)

[Nicole Glennon, Irish Examiner, 1 February]

“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]

“One hundred-and-forty students will jet into Limerick from Africa tomorrow, to study at the University of Limerick, and will have to isolate on UL’s campus for 14 days as part of international covid-19 travel protocols. The Algerian government is funding the PhD students to study at UL under a deal estimated to be worth over €10 million to the university …” (more)

[David Raleigh, BreakingNews.ie, 18 January]

“The University of Limerick may be used as a mass vaccination centre next year to facilitate the roll out of Covid-19 vaccines in Ireland. The roll out strategy, which was drawn up by the High-Level Task Force on Covid-19 Vaccination, was approved by Government this Tuesday morning …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 15 December]

“University Of Limerick (UL) are offering their students Covid-19 tests free of charge. The tests are to be provided for students who are returning to their family homes for Christmas. UL students living in the immediate vicinity of the campus will be invited to register for a COVID-19 test without needing to display any symptoms of the virus …” (more)

[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 8 December]

“The University of Limerick has this morning announced its academic delivery model for the upcoming Spring semester. As announced in November, the University had announced plans to retain its current academic delivery model for the remainder of the academic year and have now offered specifics …” (more)

[Mike Finnerty, Limerick Voice, 8 December]

“The University of Limerick (UL) spent more than €1.4m on four advisers and external consultants over the past five years as it looks to overcome governance and HR issues. Records obtained under freedom of information show half of the spend on external consultants went to international auditor Deloitte, which previously carried out a report finding 42 instances of concern at the university …” (more)

[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 6 December]

“The University of Limerick will facilitate on campus Covid-19 testing by Public Health Mid-West for students who wish to avail of it before they travel home for the Christmas period. Along with the HSE, Public Health Mid-West and Mid-West Community Healthcare, the university has been working to ensure the best protective measures are in place for the UL community during this Covid-19 pandemic …” (more)

[Aine Fitzgerald, Limerick Leader, 4 December]

“Every year students from all over the world attend the University of Limerick for a semester as part of the Erasmus program. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Universities throughout Ireland have adopted online teaching methods this semester, which has resulted in many international students being unable to travel to Limerick for the year …” (more)

[Luyao Liu, Limerick Voice, 29 November]