Ms Orla Nugent:

I am the deputy CEO of the Higher Education Authority. On behalf of the HEA, I thank the Cathaoirleach and members of the committee for the opportunity to speak today and discuss the matter referred to in the committee’s letter of 4 July. I am joined today by Mr. Ciaran McCaffrey, head of capital programmes in the HEA, and Ms Emily Cunningham. I will provide a brief overview of the HEA's 2015 report on student accommodation and highlight some of the more recent initiatives in which the HEA is supporting the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, such as a student accommodation unit for student accommodation supply.

In 2015, the HEA published a report on student accommodation demand and supply, which aimed to estimate the demand for student bed spaces from 2015 to 2024, as well as the estimated supply of spaces, both higher education institution-owned and private rented accommodation. This 2015 HEA report was a once-off report and the analysis was limited by the data available at that time, particularly in relation to the supply of private student accommodation. Nevertheless, the findings of the report put forward an estimate of unmet demand of circa 25,000 beds, based on Department of education student projections from July 2014 and available purpose-built student accommodation supply data at the time.

The report outlined key drivers of this demand for student bed spaces such as rising student numbers, which were projected to increase until 2024, and a large demand for international student places. Recommendations were put forward to increase supply of student accommodation related to the rent a room scheme, planning and development, delivery models, financing, development costs, accessibility and supporting access and, finally, further research.

This report led to the establishment of the first interdepartmental working group on student accommodation, with this group subsequently supporting the development of the first national student accommodation strategy 2017 and monitoring its implementation. Since the publication of this report in 2015 and the subsequent national student accommodation strategy 2017, the student accommodation landscape, including the State's role in this regard, has evolved significantly. Over recent years, the impact of high construction costs has been widely felt throughout the sector and the level of purpose-built student accommodation being delivered by higher education institutions has slowed in recent years as a consequence.

As the committee is aware, in November 2022 the Government approved the development of a new policy to provide State assistance for the first time to activate the development of new student accommodation for public higher education institutions. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science launched a long-term policy on student accommodation on 19 January 2024, which aims to deliver an increased supply of student accommodation to relieve pressure on the private rental sector and create an environment where the cost of and availability of accommodation does not act as a barrier to attending third level education. This new Department strategy for student accommodation is due to be published this year.

Since 2023, the HEA has been supporting the Department with the delivery of a number of initiatives under the Department's long-term policy, which I highlight to the committee. They include the short-term activation programme, the aim of which is to provide funding to higher education institutions to activate projects that have planning permission in place but could not be delivered due to viability issues, principally due to high development costs. The delivery of up to circa 1,000 new purpose-built student accommodation beds has been progressed under this programme, with 116 beds on track to be delivered for the academic year 2025-26. Some 30% of the bed spaces delivered in these schemes will be ring-fenced for target group students at below market rates, and the emphasis is on providing student accommodation for the most disadvantaged in line with the Student Universal Support Ireland national access plan and disability access route to education schemes.

With regard to the feasibility study and student accommodation survey, the HEA, working in conjunction with the Department, is undertaking a study to assess the demand for student accommodation at local, regional and national level through engagement with the sector. The study also aims to project future supply and demand for student accommodation at a national and regional level. This study will be used to inform the Department's strategy due to published later this year.

Additionally, the HEA has delivered two iterations of a new annual student accommodation survey. The survey gathers data on students' experience in securing accommodation, their satisfaction with their accommodation and their commute to their place of study.

On the standardised design study, the committee may be aware that following a recommendation from the residential construction cost study report, a standardised design study has been recently completed by the HEA behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The design guide sets out new design standards for State-sponsored student accommodation. It is an iterative framework that reflects best practices and supports the efficient delivery of student accommodation. The guide provides for a range of sample room layouts for bedrooms, kitchens, living and dining areas and clusters. The standards were developed following a detailed literature and policy review, a stakeholder engagement process and a benchmarking study on national, European and international design practices. Feedback was considered from a variety of stakeholders, including students and parents, accommodation providers and industry construction policy experts. The standards have been referenced in the recently published Planning Design Standards for Apartments: Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2025, under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

I shall now turn to the technological university sector student accommodation programme. The intention of this programme is to develop a programmatic approach to the technological university sector's student accommodation proposals. Phase 1 of the programme saw higher education institutions, HEIs, complete their strategic assessment for the infrastructure guidelines. There were 53 proposals received for the development of student accommodation by the sector. The proposals included new developments, refurbishments, lease agreements and use of vacant property. Phase 2 of the programme is ongoing and it is anticipated that HEIs will undertake preliminary business cases in line with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines.

The HEA looks forward to continuing to support our colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in furthering the range of student accommodation initiatives, as outlined, for the higher education sector. I thank the committee. My colleagues and I look forward to members' questions and discussion on this matter.