Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an additional deadline to CAO applicants for 2020 applications (details supplied). [7189/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that certain leaving certificate students missed the deadline to apply for the CAO; if he will arrange for late applications to be accepted in view of the extenuating circumstances these students are dealing with arising from Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8052/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 279 together.

The National Co-ordination group for tertiary education is meeting on a regular basis, and is closely monitoring the impact that Covid-19 is having on third level institutions and their current and prospective students. Work is ongoing to ensure that the third level entry process can progress as smoothly and equitably as possible.

However the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, higher education institutions are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates.

As such, neither I nor my Department has any role in relation to the operation of the CAO. Queries on these processes should be sent directly to the CAO, contact details for which can be found on their website www.cao.ie