Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2020
413. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports in place for postgraduate students given Covid-19 regulations around face-to-face learning, and in particular if institutions will consider a refund of fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43045/20]
View answerAt the outset it is important to note that postgraduate study in the higher education system in Ireland takes place across a very wide and diverse set of disciplines and extends from taught masters programmes to advanced and specialised post-graduate research. While the introduction of strict public health restrictions impacted widely on postgraduate students, the shift to online learning necessitated by Covid impacted predominantly on taught postgraduate programmes.
While Ireland was on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID all further and higher education institutions delivered the majority of their classes online with only essential activities held on site. While I appreciate that this was disappointing for students who had hoped to have as much time on campus as possible, these measures were necessary to support halting the spread of the Coronavirus.
As we have now moved to Level 3 of the Plan for Living with COVID, there is a shared ambition between my Department and the sector to increase face to face learning on a phased and incremental basis for priority groups. While large-scale learning, such as lectures will remain online for the rest of the year, it is intended that priority groups identified by institutions will be invited in for more on campus activities.
It is also hoped that it will be possible to restart social activities such as sports, clubs and societies to allow students to experience these elements of college life again.
It is important to be realistic and to continue to respond to public health advice. The scope for onsite activities will continue to be shaped by the prevailing public health circumstances.
Higher education institutions are autonomous institutions as provided for in legislation. The determination, as to the total level of postgraduate fees to be charged, is a matter for each institution in accordance with its own particular operational conditions and circumstances in ensuring quality education provision. The actual cost of delivering such programmes has not reduced as a consequence of the pandemic indeed institutions have had a range of additional costs in continuing to deliver programmes despite the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
I am of course very conscious of the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this academic year.
The funding, which was provided in Budget 2021, in recognition of the significant upheaval they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic will offer €250 in financial assistance to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions.
This builds on the previously enhanced student supports provided in response to COVID-19, including the doubling of the Student Assistance Fund and the provision of €15m in funding for laptops and devices.
