Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely, that aspect has emerged in the conversations I have had with the representatives of the colleges and universities well. There will have to be conditions in respect of the affordability of accommodation. That can be done. Affordable accommodation is the biggest barrier to entering third level education today, and this is especially true for students from rural areas. A report undertaken by researchers at NUI Galway found that the average cost for the cheapest room in Irish university accommodation is considerably higher than in Britain and Europe or even up the road in Queen’s University Belfast or Ulster University. The Government estimated in its 2017 student accommodation strategy that for every four students housed in student accommodation or digs would free up an additional housing unit in the private sector. Investment in student accommodation is vital for fair access to education, but it also has the potential to take the pressure off the private market. As the Minister said, we therefore need to be building accommodation of all kinds. I take from what the Minister has said that he is going to commit to capital funding for the colleges and universities to enable them to provide student accommodation.

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