Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Affordability will certainly be a problem if there is not supply. I have looked at the report and there was no additional student accommodation for Waterford in it. The reason that WIT was one of the premier institutes of technology in the country was because it was able to borrow until the technological university was brought to the Committee of Public Accounts and had its feet held to the fire. There was much smoke but no fire. There was nothing to be seen. The Minister could have reinstated WIT's borrowing capability but he did not. Waterford Institute of Technology had borrowed for more than 20 years to make itself one of the premier institutes in the country and that capability was removed from it in this national accommodation strategy. I have the report in front of me. There is no additional capacity for student accommodation in Waterford. The number of students has grown by between 15% and 20% in the past five years. We need remediation. While I am on the subject, there were applications from WIT for almost €20 million for buildings that are over 40 years old. Water is coming through the roof of the engineering building. There is no sign of any funding to sort that problem out.

See this speech in context