Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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To be honest, I sometimes worry a little bit about announcements when they give this kind of hope to people, which I think this one did. Sometimes in this Department I see figures being announced repeatedly and I am shocked by it.

My role previously was in public expenditure and reform. When somebody suddenly has €40 million in June, I wonder whether it was announced previously or not. It tends to have been announced previously, and it will be announced again and again. I have concerns about that. We need to be open with people about financing. People hear a figure of more than €400 million when there was no mention of student accommodation in the budget process. I understand the Minister of State is saying it actually is. However, when people hear that more than €400 million is being announced for student accommodation, they will not tell themselves they must contact the Department to find out exactly what that means. I am aware it was not the Minister of State who made that announcement, but the person who made it should be here. This committee is always open to changing the times of its meetings to meet the needs and demands of the Minister. We are aware of that.