Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for joining the meeting late. I had a Commencement matter in the Seanad this morning. I was up there talking about University Hospital Limerick. I am now own here talking about the other very pressing matter for us in Limerick, which is accommodation and specifically student accommodation. I read all the opening statements. I thank our guests for the detail and for their time. I am conscious that they have just come through their busiest period, welcoming their students back on campuses and getting their teams back up and running. I hope that has been a good process for them. It is really timely to have them here with us today.

The budget discussions are ongoing. My colleagues and I in the Fianna Fáil Party meet the Minister, Deputy Lawless, regularly to discuss issues around further and higher education, including this burning issue of student accommodation.

The Minister is progressing his accommodation strategy, as we speak, which he expects to bring forward in the next quarter. So this is a really timely conversation to be having with the committee.

I am aware the Minister has met the witnesses since he was appointed. I know that as recently as last week, his officials met the witnesses to discuss solutions to progress matters as quickly as possible. The Minister is also working with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on finalising a borrowing framework, which will be coming back to the universities and on which we absolutely want to support the sector in doing the work that the witnesses have identified as needing to be done, and in enabling the witnesses to play their direct role in that, insofar as that is determined to be.

We absolutely acknowledge that it is not acceptable that the technological universities are distinct in this way or that they do not have the capacity to deliver on behalf of their students. We fully acknowledge the very important role the technological universities have played in our economic recovery in the last decades and the very important role they continue to fulfil today in ensuring that our country is prepared to embrace the economic opportunities of the future and to meet the demands we have right now in our economy and the important work that needs to be done, not least of which is the construction sector. The technological universities produce very many graduates in the construction sector and I thank them also for that.

I will ask Professor Cunnane a couple of questions specific to Limerick but if there are similar comparisons in the other witnesses' areas that they would like to tell us about I would welcome hearing them. Professor Cunnane mentioned last year the analysis that was done on demand and capacity to deliver, which was presented to the Department. In Limerick, TUS has signed a memorandum of understanding with Limerick Twenty Thirty, which is the development wing of the local authority, to deliver some student accommodation. The site is at Cleeves Riverside Quarter, which is State-owned land. That is also being supported through the URDF to get it going. Perhaps Professor Cunnane will tell us a bit about that.

Our mayor in Limerick has some very innovative, rapid-build solutions on display in one of our parks in Limerick city for what is called "smart housing". These are, essentially, stackable modular homes in units that could be implemented quickly onto sites where services are available, with planning obviously. Does the professor see any room for that in what TUS can deliver in Limerick?