Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is very good news that the Taoiseach has confirmed funding for the North Quays development.

I extend sincere thanks to all my Oireachtas colleagues in the south east, in particular the Deputies from Waterford and Senator Cummins, and, most especially, to the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and their offices. They have engaged with me constantly on this matter. It is a good day for the south east to see this project developing, and I thank the Taoiseach for that.

In regard to the national student accommodation strategy, I am mindful that the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, told me a week ago that I never welcome anything. That is not the case. We have a deal of work to do and a road to travel and that is what I concentrate on. WIT had an excellent reputation for developing its own accommodation from 2012 onwards. We have lost much ground there. The Taoiseach stated the Minister, Deputy Harris, would bring a memorandum to the Government and the TUs could have a borrowing framework. Will he clarify whether that has been crystallised? Can TUs now access capital independently under a borrowing framework to deliver student accommodation and also the teaching buildings they need to deliver? We need a more appropriate strategy. I am absolutely committed to working with the offices of the Government to deliver that.

See this speech in context