Ninth Level Ireland

“Clare’s Fine Gael TD insists students at the University of Limerick cannot be left out of pocket with accommodation bills due to the coronavirus. UL’s governing body is to consider issuing partial refunds to students, following the example of other colleges including University College Cork, after being shut down due to the virus pandemic …” (more)

[Clare FM, 5 April]

“University of Limerick has come under immense pressure from students, parents and politicians alike to refund accommodation fees to its students who vacated the campus due to Covid-19. Students who have returned home have been told they can claim back deposits they paid at the beginning of the year, but will not be refunded rent that covers the rest of the semester …” (more)

[Rebecca Laffan, Limerick Leader, 4 April]

“When University of Limerick president Dr Des Fitzgerald said in March that its grounds could be used for a field hospital, many thought he was being alarmist. However, the words of the cardiologist and former Professor of Molecular Medicine at UCD have come to pass …” (more)

[Donal O’Regan, Limerick Leader, 3 April]

“The University of Limerick is refusing to make refunds to students who have vacated the university accommodation due to the COVID crisis. UL Student Union has released a statement urging the university to consider refunding students, demanding that ‘The University of Limerick must show a duty of care to its students during the COVID-19 pandemic’ …” (more)

[Ali Condon, Extra.ie, 2 April]

“Trinity has set up a contact tracing centre in the Tangent area of the Business School, run by College volunteers trained by army cadets from the Irish defence forces. Volunteer staff from the College working in the centre will make calls to people who have tested positive to find out if there are others they may have infected …” (more)

[Ella Connolly, University Times, 31 March]

“Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education, Thomas Byrne, has called on the University of Limerick to do the right thing and refund rent to students who had to leave campus accommodation early due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Deputy Byrne said that UL should be following in the path of other Universities who are refunding pre-paid rents to students who have left …” (more)

[Fianna Fáil, 30 March]

“The University of Limerick (UL) has come under fire after refusing to issue refunds to students who leave the college’s accommodation early due to the coronavirus pandemic. Students leaving UL’s accommodation have been told they can claim back deposits paid at the beginning of the year, but will not be refunded rent that covers the rest of the semester …” (more)

[Alex Connolly, University Times, 30 March]

“Students at the University of Limerick (UL) are urging the university to refund rent to students who leave campus accommodation early due to the coronavirus outbreak. UL has told students they can claim their deposit back early but that rents paid for the rest of the semester will not be refunded. It is in stark contrast to other universities …” (more)

[Kevin O’Neill, Irish Examiner, 30 March]

“The University of Limerick (UL) is set to close public access due to the outbreak of coronavirus. Access to the vast campus in Castletroy will be locked, with barriers put in place across all entrance paths and roads. Entrance to the facility will be by the main gate only, which will be controlled …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 29 March]

“University of Limerick (UL) President Des Fitzgerald has expressed his belief that the college will not reopen to students until mid-June, outlining that UL may host a field hospital on its campus if the health services are ‘overwhelmed’ by the demands of the coronavirus pandemic …” (more)

[Lauren Boland, Trinity News, 16 March]

“University of Limerick is likely to host a field hospital on its campus should health services become overwhelmed from the coronavirus pandemic over the coming weeks. UL president Prof Des Fitzgerald said he expects it will be at least mid-June before the college reopens to students and the campus may be need to assist health services in the meantime …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 16 March]

“Staff at University of Limerick are reportedly being subjected to ‘bullying and harassment’ under what has been described as ‘dictatorship’ management within the university. The university’s union, UL-Unite, also stated in its February newsletter that members have claimed bullying has ‘escalated to a very dangerous level’, and is affecting the mental health of some staff …” (more)

[Rebecca Laffan, Limerick Leader, 7 March]

“A number of students in Limerick have been told to self isolate following confirmation this Thursday that there are four patients with the coronavirus receiving treatment in a local hospital. In a notice circulated, students from a specific course have been told to ‘self isolate immediately’ until Thursday March 12 …” (more)

[Ryan O’Rourke, Limerick Leader, 5 March]

“The University of Limerick has advised staff that it is ‘likely’ the college will have to restrict numbers attending on campus ‘in the near future’ as a result of coronavirus. In a communication issued today UL Vice President, Professor Kerstin Mey, said that if the decision is taken, it will be in consultation with the relevant authorities …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 5 March]

“The RCSI is to bring forward final examinations for medical students amid concerns over the spread of the Coronavirus, Covid-19. The examinations which were to be held towards the end of April will take place this weekend. The Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland said on Thursday that it had taken the move to avoid any delays in the graduation of the final year class this year as a result of any restrictions that could be put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 …” (more)

[Sorcha Pollak, Martin Wall and Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 5 March]

“University of Limerick has won the award for Best Student Campus in Ireland for the second year in a row. The University took home the prize for the second consecutive year at the 2020 Irish Education Awards, which took place recently in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin …” (more)

[Meghann Scully, Limerick Post, 3 March]

“The University of Limerick has backed off from its plans to make students living on campus book their accommodation for a whole academic year. The original ‘no single semester’ rule announced a week ago has now been removed. It would have meant students paying around €3,000 for accommodation they would not be occupying while on Erasmus or placement away from the university …” (more)

[Bernie English, Limerick Post, 2 March]

“The University of Limerick has sold its presidential Killaloe home after it lay vacant for more than ten years – with the funds immediately put towards another property. The four-bedroom home which overlooks Lough Derg and is known as The Downs, was sold in late 2019 for €790,000, with an estimated value of €850,000 …” (more)

[Rebecca Laffan, Limerick Leader, 2 March]

“Some students in UCD are sleeping rough, in their cars and on their friends’ floors as they can’t afford accommodation, the university’s students’ union has warned. Yesterday, students at UCD took part in a tent protest after it emerged rents at campus accommodation are to increase by 12% in the next three years …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 28 February]

“University of Limerick president Dr Des Fitzgerald has told staff and students that the current accommodation situation in the university is ‘better than any other university in Ireland’ and has pledged that the university ‘will do more’ to address the issue. In an email issued earlier this Thursday, he said …” (more)

[Rebecca Laffan, Limerick Leader, 27 February]