Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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539. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students who have received conditional offers from foreign universities but whose leaving certificate results are likely to be received after the expiry of the deadline for submission will be able to obtain early access to their results; and the policy measures she plans in order to assist students with overseas offers in retaining these places. [18936/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Similar to the situation in Ireland, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Europe are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures, and as such, have administrative policies and deadlines in place to ensure that teaching and learning is delivered in a consistent manner to all of their students. All EU Member States have challenges similar to ours in addressing the concerns of students this year due to the COVID pandemic.

I have written to all EU Ministers with responsibility for higher education, and sought their assistance to seek special consideration and flexibility within their universities' administrative procedures with regard to the registration of Irish students. However, it is also important for the students themselves to contact the HEIs in question directly to pursue that flexibility.

It is also important to state that in any year, the State Examinations Commission, and indeed the Calculated Grade Executive Agency (CGEA), does not receive data for those Leaving Certificate Candidates who have applied to pursue their higher education studies outside of the Ireland and the UK and it is not possible for the CGEA to identify these students individually.