Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I certainly do and am doing things for those students. The Tralee campus is not something for tomorrow or the future; it is there today. More students from Kerry and from across the country have applied to go to university in Kerry this year than last year; that is the point I am making. I certainly do not need to advocate to the Deputy about Kerry. The point he makes is right. We agree on bringing university education closer to people to reduce their commute times. I want to see more done in Kerry to provide education opportunities in that county in order that people do not need to travel further.

There will always be people who need to travel and who wish to go to universities across the country and that is absolutely their right. The Deputy mentioned Cork. In Cork there 255 more student accommodation beds in UCC this September than last September. That is a real addition. While it may not be enough, it is 255 more. I promise that in the budget we will try to take more measures to accelerate the building of student accommodation and to reduce the cost of people travelling to college. The rent-a-room tax relief will help people in Kerry because it reduces the amount people will need to pay in rent over the course of the college year. We should also build on that.

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