Mattie McGrath criticises online learning as a website, urges campus support

Marko, I too want to thank the People Before Profit for putting down this motion, it's very timely and a very interesting debate, and a debate we should have, on the KDL, she's brought up a week ago all done, Dina Goberance and Susie, they do a very hard and dedicated job and they're very helpful, and it has settled down now from when it started, but there's huge discrimination for rural people, and the Covid, while it was a calamity, it should have given us the opportunity to have a real, to catch the total level education sector by the scruff of the nick, and give it a good shaking, because there's a lot of dead water, there's a lot of inequalities in it, and there's a lot of change that's needed there, badly needed change, I could mention the University of the South East, which we badly needed ministers, I don't know where the ministers, I can't see them, but he's there somewhere I know, or taught you, taught you himself, badly needed, and I have to go to spec service, badly needed for the South East, also our own situation in Conmel with the LIT Tipperary, and the move from his present site, site and the bypass to the, all kicking barracks, a wonderful site and great plans for it, but we need that move supported. Minister, I just spoke to my own daughter, who was in UL, just before I came in, and it's just like having a website provided, I mean, it could have been much more, learning online, but it's literally, as she said, it's the same as giving us a website, to learn on, it's not fair, there should be more done for the students, and a better effort, a year into now, we should be able to adapt, and have them able to do more functions on campus, and indeed, you know, have that interaction, that experience, of a six-year student going into first year, and the world is their oyster really, and they had a tough year in sixth year, the leaving starts had to be changed utterly, so the need, and the campuses, and I'm not specifically in Limerick, but all the campuses, need to do more, to be able to get out, and let the young people express themselves, let them be able to learn more, and let them be able to fulfil themselves, in spite of COVID, because it gives an opportunity as well, to deal differently, and while online learning should have been, you know, that wonderful experience, it hasn't been, it's just like throwing a website and walk away there, much more needs to be done, by the management, and the people responsible, in the universities, at third levels, to be more interactive, and engage with the students physically, as much as possible, certainly on campus, to be allowed, and not to be stuck in their rooms, on computers all day, and as I said, it's the same as giving them a website, but I'm not good.