Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a sound suggestion and I will undertake to talk to the Minister for Transport on this. I am not suggesting that this is the case but there cannot be any bureaucratic reason why we cannot all pull together to try to come up with short-term solutions. Digs and the rent-a-room relief are one solution and the transport issue is an interesting one. There is also the idea of a devolved capital grant, which would involve giving the universities, particularly the technological universities, a degree of discretion if they have an ability to do something locally, maybe on their own campus, or with any other properties that can be changed. That is something I am looking at in the context of the budget as well.

I am happy to keep in touch with the Deputy and other Sligo Deputies, including my colleague, Deputy Feighan, on these matters. I know how difficult this has been for Sligo and in the time available to me I want to acknowledge, as the Deputy did, the positive role played the students union in Sligo, which finds itself in a very difficult position. Students want to support the humanitarian effort to assist refugees and they do not in any way, shape or form want to get caught up in a them-versus-us discussion that was completely uncalled for. I welcome the fact that we have the protocol now and that we have the clarity but it shows how we cannot just be reliant on the private market for student accommodation.

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