Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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4. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the provision of student accommodation in Galway; when the new national student accommodation strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26176/25]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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My question relates to student accommodation in Galway. Where is the national strategy? I ask this in the context of a city where a recent survey found that almost one fifth of students at the University of Galway are living with family members or are in emergency accommodation. Those surveyed represented 8.5% of the student population. About 12% of respondents reported that they were living with family, while 5% said they were living in temporary or emergency accommodation.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Will the strategy be published later this year?

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Yes.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I welcome the standardised design. It is very practical. That has been done all over England with great cost savings. Let us go back to Galway. Approximately 19,000 students are in what I still call the NUIG. Then there is the Atlantic Technological University, ATU. There are more than 40,000 students in Galway in just two third level institutions. I know the Minister does not like the term "vulture funds", so I will use "investment funds". The Government has given carte blanche to investment funds to come in and build student accommodation anywhere they like, with all the tax reliefs. I come from a university city where we built up a relationship between town and gown given the importance of the universities to Galway. Now people are coming in and building accommodation six, seven and nine storeys high just because there is money to be made, regardless of the area and the feelings of residents. The investment funds have carte blanche to build exactly what they want, where they want, while we wait for the standardised design.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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We are probably veering into questions for the Minister for housing rather than me. I am not aware of the seven-storey buildings the Deputy talks about. There are already 1,891 purpose-built student accommodation beds on campus in the University of Galway. The latest figures tell us the university accommodation is oversubscribed, however, as it has received more applications per bed than there are beds available. Additional accommodation beds were provided last year in Dunlin Village. The Deputy may be familiar with it. It provides 674 purpose-built student accommodation beds. In Queen Street, 300 new beds are being developed. The most recent data from last month tells me that 1,739 new purpose-built student accommodation beds have been built in Galway in the recent past. Student accommodation beds are being provided but I want to see more of them, or as many as can be introduced into the system through public and private channels, so that we have a good supply of accommodation to students and a good choice available to meet the very evident demand.

It is worth noting that, as of this week, 71 beds are being advertised on the rent-a-room scheme. Digs accommodation is still a very popular option that many take up. There are currently 71 beds available in Galway.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I am not straying into the housing area. I am putting the issue into the context of a city where we have a massive housing crisis. I do not exaggerate. People have been on a waiting list for 20 years. We jump for joy when someone gets a house after 15 years. That is the context. In addition, we have two universities. A disaster of a decision was taken years ago before the arrival of the ATU. The Corrib Great Southern hotel should have been bought by the Government, as it would have solved half the problems. Of course, it was not bought. It was sold on to a bidder with lots of money and then left vacant. The problems have been created not just by the universities, which I blame, but by Government policy. Now investment funds are coming in. It is unusual that so many residents would stand together. I count at least nine residents' associations that are extremely upset. I do not want to find myself in a position of being against student accommodation. I have cried out for student accommodation on campus, State-provided land, so that the prices come down, rather than having it provided by for-profit investment funds that will use them during the summer for other purposes with little regard for residents in the area.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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It is not unusual for student accommodation to be used for other purposes during the summer months. Most of the higher education institutions do that themselves. It is part of the challenge of finding a solution. I want to see the maximum available beds for student accommodation based on a formula that works, first and foremost, for students. Many of the higher education institutions look to use student accommodation as a revenue-raising tool in the summer months, and I understand they are financing their activities on that basis. Ultimately, the focus should be on the student.

Deputy Connolly mentioned ATU a couple of times. ATU Galway is participating in the technological sector student accommodation programme. The overall standardised design is a work in progress and there is an overall strategy. There is already a stand-alone TU sector student accommodation programme and ATU Galway is part of that. In terms of the submissions that are being made, the HEIs usually drive projects that come to the HEA and my Department for approval. They are considered and any submissions made will be advanced. I am very keen to address this because I am conscious that it is a real issue for many students.