Get all the very latest news in Ireland straight to your email every single day Sign up! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Over 800 university students were caught cheating on their exams in the last three years, it has been revealed.

University College Dublin (UCD) was the only school to report students were suspended for the behaviour, with none of the seven universities throughout the country reporting a single expulsion.

The Irish Daily Mail revealed 839 students were caught cheating across the seven universities in Ireland in the 2012-2013, 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years.

UCD students were second to only NUI Galway, who reported the highest number of exam cheats with 329.

University College Cork reported 90 cheats, while University of Limerick caught 77 and NUI Maynooth reported 43.

University College Cork (UCC) caught 90 students cheating in their exams but suspended none, while UCD suspended 13 of the 291 cheats - five of whom were second offenders.

UCD revealed a total of 501 exam breaches since 2012, also recording 19 cases of plagiarism, three cases of exam conduct violations, eight cases of removing a scripts or stationary from the exam hall and 161 other breaches.

The five students caught cheating twice received suspensions of between one and a half to two years, and were fined between €200 and €1000.

UCD reported no expulsions but revealed 13 students were suspended for up to two years, while other colleges said none were suspended or the information was not available.

Dublin City University (DCU) reported eight cases of exam cheating, but excluded the year 2012-13 and declined to reveal details on how the offenders were disciplined.

A DCU spokesman told the Irish Daily Mail: "Penalties may include a zero mark, the requirement to resit the compete assessment, repeat the year and, in certain circumstances, expulsion from the university.

"Additional work can also be imposed, for instance, a reflective essay on the importance of academic integrity".

Trinity College Dublin reported it spotted only one cheat in the last three years, and didn't reveal whether the student was suspended.

The student was caught cheating in the 2014-15 academic year, but Trinity did report 11 cases of plagiarism since 2012.

All of the universities declined to reveal how the students attempted to cheat, and only UCD revealed what disciplinary action was taken.

What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below