Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand some colleges, such as University College Cork, have moved all their exams online. I spoke to a number of students from Waterford last night who were told they cannot be facilitated in doing their exams remotely. The issue here is that students do not feel safe or comfortable entering an exam hall with hundreds of other students and students do not want to defer these exams. Many of them depend on working through the summer to pay for college and they cannot afford the cost of deferring.

Living situations, health status and many other factors vary from student to student. Some have underlying conditions and others live with vulnerable family members so it is unfair and unjustified that students are given no option in this position when Covid-19 numbers are high. There must be scope within examinations for alternative arrangements for students who for whatever reason do not feel comfortable attending mass indoor exams, even if they are scheduled to go ahead. These students need the Department to demonstrate leadership on the matter and we must really send a message from here tonight that these students must be accommodated. I will explain further why this is so as we debate the matter.

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