Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte ar ais go dtí an Teach roimh an Aire Stáit. Sinn Féin will support the Bill and I am speaking on behalf of my colleague, Senator Warfield, who could not be here and wanted to speak on this issue because it is of great importance to him.

We are absolutely behind the proposal to restrict applications for the change of use of student accommodation and commend the Labour Party Seanad team who tabled the Bill. Student accommodation is defined in legislation. It is defined in section 2 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by section 13 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016. Student accommodation "means a building... used to accommodate students." It is not for use as permanent residential accommodation or as a hotel, hostel, aparthotel or similar type accommodation. However, use as tourist or visitor accommodation is permissible outside the academic year. These are the grounds on which permission is granted for student accommodation.

This Bill will ensure no application can be made or granted for a change in use of student accommodation for 15 years after the completion of a student accommodation development. I listened to the debate on Sinn Féin's renters' motion in the Dáil last night and the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, said approximately 40% of students who rent accommodation do so in purpose-built student accommodation with 60% in the wider private rental market. If 60% rent in the private rental market, it follows that there is a huge need for student-specific accommodation that is, most importantly, affordable for students. For this reason, I fundamentally believe there should be no change of use of student accommodation that has been or is yet to be developed. Students are protesting over a lack of student accommodation and affordable accommodation. All the while, purpose-built student accommodation is being turned into more lucrative tourist accommodation.

People can see all the wrongs happening around them. They see cultural and social spaces being knocked in favour of hotels or high-grade office space that currently sits empty. The potential loss of The Cobblestone pub is the latest example of the hollowing out of this city. Not only can people not afford the rent to live in this town, its cultural life is being strangled in favour of the next big investment opportunity for developers.

The only way we can be sure of stopping the loss of student accommodation is to insert in the legislation that no change of use can take place for 15 years after the completion of that development. It is a fair recommendation and a sensible approach. To think a developer can be granted planning permission for a change of use because its investment has not yet paid off makes a mockery of our planning system and a joke of our communities. As usual, the Government's response to date has been light touch and ineffective. It is afraid to spook developers or interfere in the market. It is not enough for the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to issue a circular reminding planning authorities of the critical need for purpose-build student accommodation. Does he not think those authorities are aware of that need? They have been granting permission for expensive luxury purpose-built student accommodation for years.

We have to amend the legislation and this Bill is the vehicle to do that. This is simple: we need to keep student accommodation for students. If a change of use is allowed, we are facilitating high rents for developers by allowing them to change to whatever the most lucrative type of housing is. This is not in the interests of ordinary people or the communities where these developments have been built. It is madness. If we are all on the same page, let us use the tools of legislation. That is why we are here as legislators, to stop it.

I commend the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, and students across Ireland who have made their voices heard very loudly on this issue. Students and their unions should be treated with respect when they engage on these issues and are not deserving of the sarcasm we have seen over recent weeks. They deserve the respect of the people who so-called represent them in this city.