It indicates a minister for higher education who is completely out of touch with how student life, and student learning, works. There is no doubt that for many of our students long commutes impact on their university experience. Activism is another aspect of student life that would not thrive in a hollowed out, compressed student experience. Students' unions are central to the student experience. So, it’s a no to condensed timetables; rather build more student housing to take the pressure off accommodating students, create spaces for students to learn and thrive, give students the experience previous generations had, not the pastiche of a third-level experience the minister suggests.

Source: Irish Examiner February 25, 2026 01:30 UTC