Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is the Deputy's job and duty to keep a watchful eye on this and she will do that well but by any objective measure we have seen an increase in college-owned student accommodation and in general student accommodation this college year compared to last year. We have seen more measures to help students with the cost of rent this year than last year and an increase in the student grant this year compared to last year. We saw a reduction in the college fees this year and also last year. We are making tangible efforts to help with the cost of education and increase accommodation supply but we have more to do.

When it comes to the technological universities, such is the scale of the challenge of meeting the housing demand that I do not think we should make ourselves prisoner to any one way of building. We need to look at all ways, whether the refurbishment of vacant stock on or near campus, the provision of devolved grants, public-private partnerships or access to the borrowing framework. We need to keep all options on the table but the first job is to get the ideas in by 15 March.

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