Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister's response but the plan is a stopgap measure that still falls way short. Like I said, 667 out of 3,000 is a start but it is still does not come anywhere near what is actually needed in places like Waterford, Cork and Dublin. They have been left out of it. We are seeing the consequence of decades of underinvestment and now demand is outstripping supply.

At least it is now being recognised that the strategy needs to change and bring all affordable student accommodation back into it because college accommodation has always been the right approach. I do not believe anybody will say any different. These places have the land, they have the capacity, and it seems they have the willingness to deliver on the student accommodation. We need the Minister to move on this. He stated earlier that he is waiting for them to come back with plans and that he will move then. Perhaps the Minister needs to put a bit of fire under some of these places to start getting back onto it as quickly as possible.

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