James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I had the pleasure of visiting the University of Galway last week. I met the chair, the president and the students' union and we had a good discussion on this and many other matters. I admired the fine quadrangle and had the opportunity to inspect some of the research projects around the campus as well. It was a really worthwhile visit to see the really good work being done there.

Regarding student accommodation provision, access is a central concern. Access and supports are important to ensure that students can avail of higher level education and that they can do so in a way that does not involve long commutes or living in cramped accommodation, which will be an enabler to them. I am very aware that these are barriers for many students.

One of the most significant barriers students face today is the cost and availability of accommodation, if they can get it in the first place. My focus is on delivering targeted and effective interventions that promote equitable access to higher education across the country. This means addressing the challenges that may prevent students from progressing to or through third level education because of the difficulties outlined.

Four key tools are being deployed to address student accommodation. The first is the development of a standardised design approach to improve efficiency and reduce costs. That is something my Department is working on and I will publish it this summer. The intention is to have a standard design akin to the second level school programme. The second tool is the use of enhanced supply and demand data to inform planning and investment decisions, so we can see the different patterns in different regions. The third is the technological sector student accommodation programme to support regionally balanced, institution-specific delivery models. That is under way as a separate programme. The fourth tool is a national student accommodation survey, which is designed to capture the lived experiences and needs of students across the country. We might well guess some of the issues and hear from our constituents and from representations made to us by various bodies, but the survey will have an empirical analysis that will better inform demands in this area, where the pressure zones are and what needs to be applied in different areas. We will continue to work with universities and other higher education institutions. I intend to publish the student accommodation strategy later this year.

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