Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What I have responsibility for is the higher education sector, the actual direct college-owned student accommodation. There is more of that this year than there was last year, which had more than the year before that. There is more now than there was before I entered office. On the purpose-built student accommodation piece, the Deputy’s point about the private market is not an unreasonable or unimportant point, but I made the policy change because I do not believe student accommodation policy can be reliant on private builds, for a number of reasons. One of the reasons the Deputy highlighted was variability. Another reason is cost. The rent a room scheme seems to be working. I have heard real-life examples both from students and from people renting out the room. I want to make sure that students are protected. I do not want to do anything that might cause unintended consequences, particularly perhaps for an older person who has the spare room. I have heard people talking in the media who say they are likely to rent it out but if there is a lot of bureaucracy they will not. It is about getting that balance right. I know the Deputy shares that view. I will meet with student union bodies and Union of Students in Ireland to see if we can find a way forward on that.

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