Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising an important and timely question. Higher education and research and further education and training, including apprenticeship have been confirmed and reconfirmed by the Government as an essential service in the course of the pandemic. They continue, therefore, to take place on-site, consistent with the safe return plan published by my Department last June and endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer. There is no medical or public health advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team or the Chief Medical Office to suggest any level of on-site activity planned, including exams, should now be moved online. Since the start of the pandemic and whether I was Minister for Health or in this role, I have always believed in following the public health advice.

On Friday, 19 November, I met sectoral and stakeholder bodies through our Covid-19 steering committee, including the Union of Students in Ireland, and the question of end of semester examinations was discussed. The USI emphasised the requirement for consistency in approaches and the provision of appropriate options for students and learners. Due to the diversity of our higher education institutions and the very broad range of activities they undertake and different contexts and requirements applicable to exams, it was agreed that a "one size fits all" approach would not be appropriate across the whole of higher education or the third level sector more generally. It was also agreed that the basic principle of risk assessment and the application of appropriate precautionary measures would also apply.

Management bodies confirmed at the meeting that they are putting in place a range of approaches to ensure that end of term examinations will be safe and that the requirements of students who may have Covid-19, be a close contact or have an underlying health condition can be addressed. It was also pointed out that there are some examinations, such as those related to external accreditation, that are very challenging to change to an online format at short notice.

The outcome of the meeting was that individual higher education institutions will assess the appropriate approach to exams consistent with the outcome of their risk assessments since they returned to campus. Timely engagement and consultation with student and staff representatives has a very important role to play and in all instances, public health must remain a priority. To be clear, if a student is not able to attend an exam in person due to Covid-19, being a close contact or having an underlying health condition, I expect and am assured that alternative arrangements will be put in place. That may be a deferral or, in some cases, online accommodation.

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