James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

On the short-term activation programme, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, did indeed reference it, as have I several times. We have 116 new beds delivered in Maynooth, which are now open at Teach Ui Buachalla or Buckley House. I approved funding of €67 million just last month and turned the sod at UCD for its new accommodation project, which will deliver 493 new beds. As I already mentioned, I also significantly increased all four bands of the maintenance grant for non-adjacent students to reflect the extra pressures. We have also extended the rent tax credit for a further three years and that will make some difference to student affordability.

One of the issues here is planning and getting projects through the planning process. I completely agree with the Deputy that we are in crisis, to use her words, and that we need as much student accommodation delivered as possible. In that context, I would ask her to speak to her own party councillors, including Councillor Ciarán Ó Meachair in the Blackpitts area of Dublin, who recently announced to his constituents his opposition to student accommodation developments. It is very unhelpful, in a situation where I am trying to build as much student accommodation as possible, to have local Sinn Féin councillors opposing developments. I have written to Deputy McGettigan's party leader, Deputy McDonald, about this but she has not replied to me to date. I do not know what her position or that of the Sinn Féin party is on this. Deputy McGettigan might clarify that for us today.

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