Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this matter. I acknowledge it is an issue she has rightly pursued for some time. The short answer is that I have been informed that all universities are now offering refunds for university-owned accommodation. If the Deputy has individual instances where that is not the case, I ask that she bring them to the attention of my office and I will bring those to the attention of the individual institutions.

I am conscious of the challenges faced by students regarding student accommodation this year due to both financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020-2021 academic year. The Deputy will be aware that the university sector has been actively engaging with these issues and is trying to respond to an evolving public health situation. My officials and I have liaised with the Irish Universities Association on this matter and have been assured that all universities have confirmed that students who opted to leave their university-owned student accommodation as a result of reduced on-campus activity will be offered refunds. The processing of these refunds is a matter for the universities themselves. All students who wish to receive a refund for their on-campus accommodation should engage directly with their university’s accommodation office. I will continue to liaise with the sector to encourage the availability of fair solutions to students in university-owned student accommodation.

I know the Deputy will raise privately owned accommodation in her supplementary question. I do not have figures to hand, but from memory I think about 7,000 students have chosen to continue to live in student accommodation for a variety of reasons, including perhaps a lack of access to the facilities they require at home, a requirement to attend practical classes or a desire to avail of the library. I am not suggesting the Deputy is saying this, but there are students who have decided they wish to remain in university-owned accommodation.

See this speech in context