Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh. I look forward to having our own stand-alone question time in September so we can tease these issues out.

I am very conscious that this is an important time for students finishing second-level education and hoping to progress to employment, further education and training or higher education. My own Department and the Department of Education and Skills are working to ensure that this onward transition can happen as smoothly and equitably as possible.

On 16 July it was announced by the Department of Education and Skills that students would receive their calculated grades on 7 September. As the Minister, Deputy Foley, has outlined, this is the earliest possible date given the rigorous quality assurance checks required to ensure that the 2020 results enjoy the same status as those of previous and future years. Students will benefit from these checks.

We now have clarity on what will happen next. This has been welcomed by students and their parents. We now know that the first round of Central Admissions Office, CAO, offers will issue on 11 September 2020. Last week I also met representatives of the higher education institutions, namely, the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA, which represents the institutes of technology, and the Irish Universities Association. I welcome their publication of commencement dates for each first year student. This was the next piece of the jigsaw. We now know when first year students will commence, with the majority of our colleges welcoming first year students on 28 September.

The Deputy asked about the important area of practical supports. We have put a funding support package of €168 million in place to support the safe opening of the third level sector to students and provide the sector with the resources to ensure safe operations. I was eager for this package to include practical supports for students. We have doubled the student assistance fund from just over €8 million to €16 million. This recognises that many students have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own as a result of Covid-19. We have also increased the mental health budget, providing an extra €3 million of mental health funding for students. This has been welcomed by many. We have also provided a €15 million fund for access to digital devices. We must recognise the digital divide. People will need dongles, tablets, and laptops. This €15 million will be distributed through the Higher Education Authority and the network of education and training boards. I will comment further in a moment.

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