Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was delighted to see this question as I had an exciting meeting the other day with representatives of HEAnet, the organisation that is involved in rolling out technological solutions for students. The Deputy knows that eduroam is a Wi-Fi system used not just by students on campus in Ireland but around the world. HEAnet is in the process of developing proposals to see how this eduroam Wi-Fi system can be made available off campus as well as on campus. The Deputy's question concerns how to roll out connectivity with hubs. I welcome that I can work with the Deputy on this and I would be very happy to organise a meeting between her and representatives of HEAnet to see how we can feed in her suggestions in this regard.

Higher education institutions have been undertaking detailed planning and contingencies for their reopening and communicating these to students, trying to move from emergency remote learning towards a more structured model of blended learning, combining both online and on-site provision. The details of these arrangements are being finalised, with all higher education institutions having published their academic calendars with information on the dates for orientation and the beginning of teaching for the autumn semester.

In July, as I mentioned, I announced funding for students, including a €15 million fund for technology supports. With respect to the Deputy’s proposal to utilise hubs or micro-satellite campuses for online learning, some higher education institutions already operate more than one campus and are considering all relevant approaches to a return to college where appropriate. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, a number of higher education projects were already receiving funding from the Higher Education Authority, HEA, under the innovation and transformation fund to assist students to access courses virtually. For example, Letterkenny Institute of Technology runs the iNote project, building digital capacity for flexible learning delivery in the west and north west. Dundalk Institute of Technology provides a virtual hub to support all learners under its Gateway to Success project and the Institute of Technology, Sligo, provides online and blended degree programmes for students unable to be on campus due to location or disability.

Connectivity can be an issue for some students and rolling out the national broadband plan is a key element in resolving this. There is something we can do with HEAnet in trying to take the Deputy's idea of creating hubs in communities and extending the eduroam Wi-Fi system to such areas. I am happy to work with the Deputy on that.

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