Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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423. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has met universities and institutes of technology regarding whether specific course material will be delivered either face-to-face or remotely. [17256/20]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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425. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has engaged with universities and institutes of technology on the way in which library services will be delivered under social distancing. [17258/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 425 together.

To assist with the development of plans for the reopening and operation of higher education in an environment that may require social distancing and other public health requirements, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is engaging with relevant stakeholders from the higher education sector, and this has included meetings with the Minister. The importance of informing students of arrangements for the new semester in a timely manner forms part of these discussions and all those involved are committed to this. This work is ongoing, and it is hoped that a communication for the sector will be published later this month.

However, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Decisions on how courses and campus services will operate will be made by each institution, and arrangements will vary between institutions and between courses. The HEIs will communicate the arrangements for the new academic year to students as soon as these arrangements have been finalised. Questions on arrangements for a specific institution or course should be directed to the institution in question.