Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh:

I will take that first. Ours are learning institutions so we need to learn from what happened last summer. I will make two or three comments in that context. One is that it is a very uncertain context, so it is extremely difficult to plan ahead and predict. The second point is that if we do it together, the sectoral piece is particularly critical. The Department's plan, which is cross-sectoral, is very valuable. Where we step together, that working together in order to work through the process is particularly important. The third point relates to planning as early as we can.

Last year, it was particularly problematic that we marched up a hill and marched down again very quickly. That was necessary because of the changes to the virus but it would be better if we planned earlier. That is why the mid-July timeline is important because it will allow us to see further ahead. As we know, the pandemic has made life uncertain for all of us. It is particularly difficult to plan in that context. Planning together and ahead of time as much as possible is important. The roll-out of the vaccination programme is important in that regard.

My view has always been that online learning is a supplement to, not a replacement for, the on-campus experience. This year has brought that point to the fore. Even when online learning is available, students and staff want to be on campus. We have learned a lot in short order and with agility about access to technology and its use from our experiences of this year. We have also learned that online learning will not replace the on-campus experience which students and staff wanted this year. We have learned a lot and will bring many good things forward with us but, at the same time, we know that online learning is not a replacement for university life as students and staff want it to be.