Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
599. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of funding that has been allocated to the Technological University of Dublin for the purpose of enabling it to protect students and staff from Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9236/22]
View answer600. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the value of antigen tests made available to the Technological University of Dublin; if such tests are available to staff at the university; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9237/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 600 together.
In 2020 and 2021 the Government provided additional funding to mitigate against the direct impacts of Covid-19 and support the return of students to further and higher education for the academic years 20/21 and 2021/22.
For Technological University Dublin (TUD) additional funding from within these financial supports was provided via the Higher Education Authority.
Out of the amounts allocated to TU Dublin a combined total of c.€3.78million was reported to the HEA as having been used for purposes which supported the protection of students and staff from Covid-19.
The final amount provided to institutions from within the 2021 allocation will not be finalised until all relevant claim forms have been received and the review and analysis of the final claim forms are completed.
In addition, as part of the 2021 allocation, following public health advice to the sector from the Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing (advice which is published and available on the Department’s website) a once-off fund of €9m to provide rapid antigen testing kits to students in further and higher education was introduced in 2021.
The purpose of the funding was to encourage the use of antigen testing amongst students, providing funding to institutions via the relevant funding agencies to make a small number of antigen tests available free to students. TU Dublin received a provisional €600,750 in support of the provision of antigen testing to students and this allocation was paid in December 2021 (via the HEA). This fund is subject to final report and reconcilation to the HEA at the end of this academic year.
