I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 432 together.
The Government has committed to a significant increase in onsite attendance in the tertiary education sector in the next academic year.
Following consultation with sectoral stakeholders and on following Government approval, I published A Safe Return: Plan for a safe return to on-site Further and Higher Education and Research in 2021/22. The Safe Return Plan can be accessed here.
The Plan reflects the essential nature of higher and further education and training, and research activities, and in that context, provides for comprehensive on-site activity for the next academic year, with almost full scale on-site activities.
Under the Plan, larger scale lectures will take place on-site if the public health situation continues to improve as expected but some moderation in numbers may still be required.
Contingency planning, based on a more restrictive public health environment, is also being prepared by the sector. Even in a more restrictive public health environment, it is envisaged that there would still be significant on-site activities. At a very minimum, workshops, tutorials, classroom based activities and smaller lectures will be allowed and libraries, research facilities and labs will be opened.
The safety measures which will be in place such as social distancing, face masks, ventilation will be in accordance with prevailing public health advice taking into account the essential nature of further and higher education and research. Institutions and providers will continue to put in place plans to ensure that the overall number of people on campus at a given time continues to be moderated.
The Plan will operate along with and be supported by:
- The COVID-19 Adaptation Framework
- Practical Guidance for Further and Higher Education, (to be updated in line with prevailing public health advice).
- Sectoral guidance (to be updated in line with prevailing public health advice): FET Implementation Guidelines
- Implementation Guidelines for Public Health Measures in Higher Education Institutions
- Sectoral Pact as outlined in Section 5 of the plan
- Work Safely Protocol published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- The Government Plan - COVID – 19 Resilience and Recovery: The Path Ahead
The Safe Return Plan also includes a Pact of actions and commitments which my Department, its agencies, stakeholders, institutions and providers have agreed to in order to support ongoing efforts in relation to the pandemic and to ensure that planning is well-grounded in safe and sustainable practices. These actions and commitments, which will be completed in time for autumn 2021, are grouped under the following headings:
- Careful and safe opening up on-site
- Ongoing managing and monitoring of on-site activities with continued compliance by all within an expanded Discretionary Framework for the sector.
- Promoting public health
- Dealing with outbreaks
- A new vigilance scheme
- Regular and transparent communications
- Specific actions and commitments for key areas: research; on-site accommodation; and international learners
While the vaccination rollout plan continues to accelerate with the announcement that the 18-34 year old cohort may begin registration for vaccination from Monday 5th July, however, the challenges associated with the unpredictability of the virus remain particularly in light of the emergence of the Delta variant of the virus. Nevertheless, the sector is committed to maximising onsite provision for students and learners for September 2021 and on that basis and in line with the Safe Return Plan, institutions and providers are currently progressing their own detailed planning and work for a comprehensive return to on-site activity, while recognising that there can be no certainty in relation to the future trajectory of the disease and contingency plans will continue to be necessary.
My Department has undertaken to provide Government in mid-July with an update of the progress in relation to sectoral planning arising from the Plan and the expected level of on-site activity in further and higher education and research in the Autumn, including an update on planning with regard to large scale lectures. This will ensure that there is ongoing support for planning in this sector and that planning proceeds in a manner that is aligned to prevailing public health advice.
Following the update to Cabinet in July and in anticipation, at that point, of revised public health guidelines being available, it is envisaged that institutions and providers will be in a position to communicate their plans for a return to on-site activity to students, learners and staff.
The partnership and collaboration demonstrated by all stakeholders, institutions and educational providers, their staff and representative bodies, students and learners has been instrumental in developing the plan for the safe return to onsite provision of higher and further education. The continuation and intensification of this approach will be central to its successful implementation.
