Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Farrell for raising this very important matter. As the Deputy is aware, the difficulties faced by students trying to secure affordable student accommodation is an issue the Minister, Deputy Harris, is actively pursuing. The student accommodation provider referred to by Deputy Farrell in the supplementary information is privately-owned and operated and, therefore, it is not within the remit of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to directly intervene. However, in 2021, as the Deputy will be aware, the Government extended rent pressure zones, RPZs to the end of 2024.

Legislation was also enacted to cap rent increases at a maximum of 2% in rent pressure zones where general inflation is higher. Rent pressure zone rules have always applied to the private sector and to private providers of student accommodation.

While there are exemptions to the rent caps, a property would be required to have undergone a "substantial change in the nature of the accommodation", as defined in the Residential Tenancies Act, to be considered exempt from RPZ rent caps.

Student-specific accommodation is within the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. The RTB provides a confidential dispute resolution service. This service offers a choice of resolution types to parties. The RTB has powers to investigate and sanction landlords who engage in certain breaches of rental law called improper conduct, including raising the rent unlawfully in a rent pressure zone. If landlords are found to have committed improper conduct, they can be sanctioned with a written caution and-or a sanction of up to €15,000 and up to €15,000 in costs.

The Minister, Deputy Harris, would encourage any student who has a specific concern or believes their landlord is in breach of rental law to contact the RTB as soon as possible to submit their query and, indeed, complaint. This Government is committed to ensuring protections for tenants, including those in student-specific accommodation.

The reliance on the private market has been challenging. That is why the Department of further and higher education is working on a number of projects to activate on-campus accommodation. The University of Galway has submitted a proposal for a long-term student accommodation leasing project. This proposal is currently being examined by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, as part of the due diligence assessment.

A number of other potential developments in Galway may also be amenable to a leasing intervention or refurbishment intervention and work is ongoing on these assessments by the officials and the HEA. Any project would be subject to the necessary approvals and the timeline for delivery of these proposals is subject to compliance and approvals under the public spending code. The Department continues to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding funding for these projects under the national development plan, NDP, process. The Department and the HEA will work through the financial and governance due diligence process for these projects if State funding is approved by Government.

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