Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Pillar 4 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which was published in July 2016, focuses on the supply of rented accommodation and includes actions to enhance the supply of student accommodation. The national student accommodation strategy was subsequently launched in July 2017 by the Minister for Education and Skills. The strategy sets a target to facilitate 4,000 students in availing of digs accommodation by the end of 2019, thereby freeing up accommodation in the traditional rental sector. Joint funding of €160,000 for 2017 and 2018 has been committed to the Union of Students in Ireland by the Department of Education and Skills and my Department to finance a full-time student housing officer, the #homesforstudy campaign and training for student accommodation officers. An additional provision has been made for the UCD Students' Union, which is outside the USI. The campaign involved leaflets being delivered to homeowners in targeted locations throughout the country highlighting the potential to earn up to €14,000 tax free under the rent-a-room scheme.

Traditionally, students residing in digs or family homes benefit from the goodwill that exists to ensure both students and homeowners are happy with the arrangement. It is possible for the arrangements to be formalised by way of a licence between the parties, but this is a matter of choice for the parties themselves to agree on.

I do not consider that there is a need for a legal regulatory framework in this area.

Digs accommodation is an integral housing solution for students as well as an important source of revenue and, in some circumstances, social interaction for homeowners. Any attempt at regulating "digs" is highly likely to impact negatively on the supply of this traditional and important source of student accommodation.

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