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

I wish to register my shock and horror at the decision to end the eviction ban. That decision will be remembered for a very long time. Students will be among those left without a roof over their head. Student accommodation is part of the broader housing crisis overseen by Fine Gael over the past 12 years. The cost and availability of education is the biggest barrier to third level education, particularly for students in rural areas and students from Mayo.

The announcement that Government will co-fund 400 student beds in DCU is a step in the right direction but the Government is still dragging its feet. DCU has planning permission for 1,000 additional beds. Thousands more could be delivered across the higher education sector. Will the Taoiseach ensure that all shovel-ready student accommodation projects are advanced to reflect the urgency and scale of the student accommodation crisis and take the pressure off the private rental market? Will he provide the details of the arrangement with the colleges? He says that one third will be affordable. This means that means two thirds will not be affordable. Can I get clarity on this matter?

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