Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Similar to Senator Moynihan I do not intend to delay the House. I compliment the Minister of State and his staff. Reading the Bill is so simple for Members. It is very straightforward. I know it is quite straightforward but it is also put very simply. When we come to the end of the brief it states the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has already notified public and private SSA providers of the publication of the Bill and has requested that its measures be adopted without delay in respect of new and existing tenancies and licences. My colleague Senator Fitzpatrick put it very strongly in her opening remarks. Students should not have to pay for accommodation they are not using.

I have heard about this in my clinics, as have other politicians. Students and their families come to us to tell us they are not guaranteed accommodation next autumn if they do not book it for the summer months. This is shocking. It is fine if people are working in their university or college town or city and they have a job over the summer months. That is fine and they will need accommodation, but otherwise people should not be charged for it. This is why I welcome the Bill. It is very important we pass it.

I acknowledge that some landlords have made arrangements with students to ensure this will not happen to them. It is the Government's job to govern and it is the Government's job to put things right. This is putting something right and ensuring this abuse does not happen. It is good to see the Government having a solid programme of building accommodation for students. This is very important in the context of the Bill. I say well done to the Minister of State and the staff. All Members agree it is a good step forward.