Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The €59 million investment is very welcome. I will refer to some statistics in a recent UCD student union survey. Approximately 14,500 campus beds are in place across the country. That accounts for about 6% of the total student population. There are about 250,000 students in this country. Not all would need on-campus accommodation and many do stay at home but the figure gives an idea of the task that lies ahead to meet the demand. Unfortunately there are pressures there, given the crisis in private rented accommodation across the board, compounded by the pressure on accommodation from migrants and refugees. There is a very difficult task ahead. Something like a two-tier student experience is emerging. People get to have the full experience on campus but then, as Deputy Alan Farrell just noted, many students have to travel long distances. It is reminiscent of what happened in the boom times when people were travelling into Dublin for work and so on. Will the Minister expand on any further initiatives he is taking?

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