Engagement with UCAS, and the relevant UK higher education authorities and bodies, is a matter for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. I understand the Deputy has put a similar question to Minister Harris.
On 2 June 2021 I announced that provisional results of the Leaving Certificate would issue on 3 September 2021. This information was communicated to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), who continued their engagements with UCAS and relevant organisations in the UK.
I also raised this subject when I met with the UK Secretary of State for Education in Dublin last July.
In addition to the above engagement, students who had applied for places in universities and colleges outside of Ireland were advised to engage directly with these institutions as early as possible to notify them of the results date and to confirm their position. This was communicated to students through the gov.ie/leavingcertificate webpage, through social media and through bilateral engagement with the Irish Secondary Schools Student Union (ISSU).
Where issues emerged which could not be resolved in engagement between students and admissions offices in the UK, officials in both my Department and DFHERIS engaged directly with the students and universities in question, seeking that they would respond flexibly in respect of Irish students. The work was also supported by staff from the Irish Embassies in London and Cardiff. In those cases which were notified to and pursued by both Departments, there is no evidence of students having reverted to either Department to indicate that they were disadvantaged.
Where a student applies to pursue their higher education studies in the UK, this is a matter between the student and the UK University in question. As a result, my Department does not hold any statistics in this regard.
