Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister for the presentation. I welcome the 7.5% increase because student accommodation is really key in all this. Preferably it would be State accommodation on campus. That is something I would like to see in our area with the South East Technological University. State accommodation should be factored in to that because too often it has been left to international investors to provide such accommodation. As my party colleague Deputy McGettigan pointed out, this morning we had a really interesting engagement with TUS students who represent four counties. There were very shocking surveys with alarming results. Up to 40% have to live at home and often travel long commutes because of the difficulty securing accommodation. Many of them said they would be happy to accept any sort of mouldy little flat or bedsit if they could get it, but they cannot even get that. It is certainly a very different experience since the Minister or I went to college. The whole student experience is a completely different world now because a large percentage of the student body are missing out on all that and the freedoms and independence that go with that because they are basically desperate. It was also pointed out in the survey that, very shockingly, the practice of sex for rent is becoming a huge problem for international students at the moment. That is something that really needs to be tackled. Deputy McGettigan also pointed out third level education is being very much commodified and this is something we need to guard against. International investors are seeing large numbers of international students as cash cows, as do the providers of international accommodation. This is problematic for all, especially our local Irish students. It is obviously a huge problem.

Do we have numbers for the number of State accommodation units provided for students on campuses, or plans for same? Could State-owned and State-funded on or near campus be a focus for the five years ahead? Could we also move away from the international investor model?