Many students from my constituency study at Institute of Technology Sligo. They were contacted and encouraged to book accommodation prior to the start of the first semester this year. At the time, the students did not have their timetables and, due to this encouragement and the scaling-back of restrictions, assumed most of their classes would be held on campus. When their timetables were released, they learned that the vast majority of their classes would still be online and not on campus. They are quite angry and annoyed, as are their parents, at the additional costs they have incurred on accommodation they do not need.

At what stage did Institute of Technology Sligo learn that the majority of its classes would be delivered online and not on campus? Why was this not indicated to students earlier? Was this the only third level institute at which this happened? I am aware the opposite is happening, whereby students have returned to campus and cannot find accommodation. In this instance, the students are not on campus but they were told to find accommodation.

I am afraid I cannot answer questions on behalf of Institute of Technology Sligo. The institute would have to answer those questions for itself. I am sorry to hear students are still learning mainly online there because the norm throughout the country now is that most activities are happening on campus again. It is very disappointing if it is the case that students of Institute of Technology Sligo are not able to have most of their education on campus, given that most third level institutions are doing exactly that.