There is a "real obligation" to support the "Covid generation", Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has said.
His comments come after a new report which shows an increasing number of students leaving third level education prematurely.
The rising level of drop outs are in line with other countries including the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Minister Harris said but added, the most common reason cited for dropping out is "personal and family".
The findings are based on data from 2021 and 2022, Mr Harris added, and he highlighted that these are students spent the final years of their school lives at home, carrying out their studies primarily online.