Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I did not have enough time on accommodation earlier. We need a change of thinking here. Student accommodation has to be an integral part of third level education and it has to be an investment. I do not think we need another strategy, even though I welcome that, because we have enough strategies on student accommodation to pave the way from here to Mayo. We need the investment. The effect of not having enough student accommodation on young people's mental health is huge. I am also acutely aware of the wider accommodation crisis and the cost of living for families. We see electricity bills and every other bill going up. The impact of having to look for student accommodation in the first place and then not finding any that is affordable is huge. It is putting huge pressure on families and students and is limiting their life opportunities. Students are making decisions based on where they can afford to live and that is not right.

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