Mr. Paul Lemass:

I thank Senator Harmon for her questions. The strategy was informed by the needs and demands study. The output was tracking quite well with the strategy until Covid struck, and Covid has set us back; there are no two ways about it. What was planned before Covid got built during Covid because there was a dispensation given for construction to continue. Developers looking at Covid clearly got a shock, and as soon as it was over they got a second shock through Ukraine, the cost of living and inflation. We have undoubtedly been set back and that is why the Department set up the dedicated unit to get involved.

With regards to scamming, we have developed with the students' union guidelines for digs accommodation for both the licensee and the property owner. We have also developed a draft licence agreement and made it available to all of the HEIs so they would make it available to anyone coming in, either as a property owner on Studentpad, or whatever the various systems are, or as a student coming so they will be fully aware of the checklist of things they need to have regard to.

The issue in respect of Cork has come up previously. We did speak to UCC, in particular, regarding the short-term activation programme. At the time, it highlighted that there were a lot of private developments, as well as one of its own in the Crow's Nest, which were coming to completion. It felt that the numbers completed between the two - public and private - were meeting the level of demand at the time and it did not make a proposal to participate in the short-term activation programme.

On the borrowing framework, we are in the throes of the NDP negotiations and that will inform part of our response to the funding need. The other part of the response will come through the programme itself when we see the types of proposals that are being made, whether it is for vacancy or leasing, or on-campus or off-campus PBSA. That will wash out off the programme. We are consulting with the Department of housing on the quarter 3 strategy and we hope to have it published in quarter 3.