Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

That would be great. I know the hubs in my area are very enthusiastic about remote campuses. In addition, students are concerned about committing to accommodation and other costs associated with moving when it is uncertain how much classroom learning they will be doing or how much will be online. The provision of additional places is welcome but it puts further pressure on institutions to implement social distancing, which will inevitably push more courses online. Waterford Institute of Technology has already announced that all lectures and tutorials will be delivered remotely with only laboratory work and workshops taking place on campus. All students need the certainty that Waterford Institute of Technology has provided.

Will the Minister provide greater clarity to students and institutions on what will be the format for the new college year? Households with overstretched budgets and students cannot afford accommodation that they may not use. The campus student experience is so important and if the majority of courses go online, there will be limited access to campus facilities. In such an absence, a smaller remote campus could go some way towards creating that kind of campus experience.

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