Minister Simon Harris is confident colleges can stay open with high Covid rates, but he has revealed that contingency shutdown plans are “of course” in place as well.
Third level colleges have coped well with the latest wave of Covid, with campuses open and lectures running as normal across most colleges and universities.
There is also a significant antigen testing system in place across the country’s colleges, with the Department of Higher Education providing tens of thousands of free kits.
However, the age profile of college students is among those that are least likely to have been vaccinated, and they would have to wait longest for a booster shot.
Third level was an online experience for most students last year and Mr Harris, the Minister for Higher Education, has indicated that similar contingency plans are ready again.
Mr Harris said: “We have contingency plans, and I don’t say that as news, we always have contingency plans, we have a framework in place with all of our colleges and they risk-assess their own facilities.
“But let me just say this, the reopening of our colleges has gone really, really well.
“I’ve visited an awful lot of them in recent weeks, and I must say, it’s uplifting to visit a lot of them now because you’re talking to students.
“Yes, they’re happy to be back in college and they’re happy for the educational piece, but the wellbeing piece is so, so important, so there are no plans to reduce that in any way.”
Mr Harris said that since June, 25,000 rapid tests have been used at University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, NUI Galway and University College Cork.
He also defended the Government from criticism that it has been unwilling to wholeheartedly back antigen tests.
Mr Harris added: “They are free in many circumstances.
“So we’re not charging the students and the staff.
“We’re not charging close contacts.
“There isn’t a cost as far as I know, in the nursing homes, and whether you do that more broadly is a matter for the Minister for Health to obviously bring advice forward to Government.”
