There is a call for unconscious bias training to be rolled out to all staff at third-level institutions, after 'unacceptable' comments by GMIT lecturers about their students.
That is according to Fine Gael Senator and education spokesperson Aisling Dolan.
Students at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) were able to hear two staff members discuss students' presentations and allocate marks, after an online connection remained live.
Some of the clips include insulting language - such as a staff member asking whether there was 'something wrong' with one student.
Several video clips of the incident have been widely shared across messaging apps.
In a statement on Monday, GMIT President Dr Orla Flynn apologised for the data breach which had caused "such deep hurt and dismay".
She said: "GMIT is known as a student-centred institute and some of the comments made by our staff do not reflect the values to which we aspire.
"We are taking the breaches of GMIT policies and data protection legislation very seriously.
"Apologies will be issued to the students directly concerned."
It is believed these apologies have been made to the students affected.
Senator Dolan told Newstalk Breakfast unconscious bias happens when people jump to conclusions, instead of basing things on evidence.
"We need to find ways to mitigate against this - the training that's been rolled out can be done in combination with a number of other measures to ensure that we've a robust, transparent and accountable system in place for students".
"We do need to tackle this, it is an issue in an organisations... we need to build more inclusion, more diversity and be more fair in how we make our decisions".
Senator Dolan said while some people can jump to such conclusions, it has to be different for decision-makers.
"This gives us an insight into attitude and behaviours that are just not acceptable."
"In this sort of situation, where there are people making decisions - grading - in this particular incident there were people involved in making assessments about these students.
"And the way that that was being done really is not acceptable - and it shouldn't be acceptable in any walk of life when it comes to making judgements".
She said any such assessments - such as interviews or grading - "has to be based on an evidence base, so it has to be based on factual content".
"I suppose what it comes down to, when we talk about unconscious bias, is being aware how that impacts on our decisions and then ways that we need to mitigate that".
GMIT Students' Union President Victor O'Loughlin told Lunchtime Live on Tuesday that it is up to those students what happens next.
"We take our lead from the students, and if the students are willing to accept the apology - the apology that I care about is the apology that went directly to those students from the staff, which I've been informed has already occurred - if the students are willing to accept that apology, then I'm willing as president to accept that apology.
"If not, we can advise them on how to prepare a formal complaint and go through the procedures".
"But it's not up to me to say whether an apology has gone far enough, it's up to the students that are being apologised to".
