Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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One of the single biggest issues facing families and students is the whole area of accommodation. I know the Minister's Department is very active in trying to come up with solutions. I met the Chair of the Technical Universities and some of the presidents recently and one of the issues they spoke about was being able to borrow as other universities can. Will the Minister bring us up to date on that? I am not sure if that question has been asked already.

Second, what collaboration has the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Housing had with the likes of Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork City Councils where some of our bigger third level institutions have real issues in trying to accommodate students? The financial contribution the Government gave back to students in the recent budget is very welcome but it is being offset by the cost of accommodation. The students had their walkout protest last Thursday. You hear of some students living in tents - I do not know but that is the information that is out there. Can the Minister address those few issues?