Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a very valid question. Senior officials in my Department engage on a very regular basis - in fact it is every Friday morning - with representative bodies of the universities, the institute of technology sector, the Union of Students in Ireland and further education and training providers. I often attend as well. We continue to monitor and tease out issues in real time and consider issues that may be coming down the tracks regarding Covid and its impact on third level. That structure has worked pretty well.

While I do not have an analytical report available to me at this stage on the impact, I have asked about drop-out rates and suchlike and the indication so far is that there has not been any increase in drop-out rates this year. I do not wish to mislead the House. I am concerned not about the educational piece, as Quality and Qualifications Ireland reports suggest that is going quite well online in terms of standards, but about the mental health and welfare piece, as I know Deputy O'Rourke is as well. I have agreed with the colleges that they will try to get students on campus in small groups for tutorials. That cannot be beyond them. They will each have to do it in different ways, subject to the public health guidance, but that should be our shared ambition.

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