Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has confirmed that 100,000 free antigen tests have been ordered for Trinity students.
TCDSU President Leah Keogh has “been lobbying the government for this since September”.
The tests are “ due to arrive before exams end” according to TCDSU. They plan to “work together with college to disseminate the tests once they have arrived”.
Earlier today, An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced that the regulations stating instructing indoor venues to operate at 50% capacity will not apply to exam halls during the examination period.
Instead, funding given for free college antigen tests will be intended to allow students to take a test prior to their exam.
The announcement that free antigen tests would be provided for third level students was made last week, with exams beginning on December 6. It is uncertain how many of these free tests have been provided to students before sitting exams.
Keogh raised the issue of the cost of antigen tests at a meeting with Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Research Simon Harris, and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).
Keogh began this conversation with Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in September during his visit to campus.
TCDSU wants to “encourage personal responsibility and urges that all Trinity students get tested before the holidays”. They have said they “want all students to feel safe returning home for the holidays, and the current cost of antigen testing is a barrier to this”.
The union is encouraging students to “check [TCDSU} weekly email and social media over the next two weeks for further updates”.
Earlier today, An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced that the regulations stating that all indoor venues will operate at 50% capacity will not apply to exam halls during the examination period.
Instead, funding allocated to free antigen tests will be intended to allow students to take a test prior to their exam.
The announcement that free antigen tests are to be made available to third level students was made last week, with exams beginning on December 6. It is uncertain how many of these free tests have been provided to students before sitting exams.
Keogh raised the issue of the cost of antigen tests at a meeting with Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Research Simon Harris, and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).
Keogh began this conversation with Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in September during his visit to campus.
TCDSU wants to “encourage personal responsibility and urges that all Trinity students get tested before the holidays”. They have said they “want all students to feel safe returning home for the holidays, and the current cost of antigen testing is a barrier to this”.
The union is encouraging students to “check [TCDSU} weekly email and social media over the next two weeks for further updates”.
Earlier today, An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced that the regulations stating that all indoor venues will operate at 50% capacity will not apply to exam halls during the examination period.
Instead, funding allocated to free antigen tests will be intended to allow students to take a test prior to their exam.
This article was updated at 4:10pm 9/12/21 to specify that TCDSU lobbied for the anitgen tests to be ordered by college
