Dáil debates

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Student Accommodation

11:40 am

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course the Deputy can put that to me but he will not be surprised when I utterly reject it. I have already given my view on Mr. Keegan's comments and I will not take up time on that. We have taken a number of measures, including in recent days, to assist with student welfare, student mental health and student incomes.

I refer to the pandemic unemployment payment and the significant income support we provided to students over a sustained period of time. That was the right and proper policy decision but the Deputy should look at the direct income and financial assistance we can provide to students. I mention our record on the student assistance fund and the fact that, since I have become Minister, we have provided €16 million more to that fund. I was talking to the president of the UCC students' union in recent days about the challenges there and we provided €1.2 million to the student assistance fund in University College Cork. I refer to the changes to the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grants we made yesterday.

I am sure the Deputy wanted us to do more and I accept that but those were good changes and many of the Deputy's constituents will probably benefit from them. For example, we have changed the distance rule so that many students will see their grants rise by up to €2,000 next year as we drop the 45 km rule to 30 km. We made the first maintenance grant increase in many a year as well as making the first income threshold increase for many years so that more families qualify. Some 17,000 free laptops are being provided to students, recognising the shortfall there, and €5 million more is being provided for mental health supports. Period products are being provided for free in a number of our universities, and the contraception changes we made yesterday will benefit young people, many of whom are students. I also mention the public transport measures that have been announced.

I accept we have an awful lot more to do. We had a lengthy discussion earlier about purpose-built and college-owned student accommodation that is affordable and I am happy to come back to that in my supplementary response. I accept we have a road to travel but we took a number of measures yesterday that will help students, starting with the most vulnerable and the most in need. That is the most socially just way to approach it.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.