Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will establish a task force to address the urgent accommodation needs of third level students; and if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this falls under her remit. [13256/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that USI have called for the establishment of a taskforce on student accommodation.

When USI first made this call last year, my Department explained to them that it would be primarily a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government which has responsibility for housing policy.

While I would obviously be concerned if accommodation difficulties are impacting on students' performance at college, my Department has no remit in relation to student accommodation.

The Department of Education does not provide financial assistance for the provision of student accommodation nor has it any funding available to do so. Capital funding under the NDP for higher education is targeted at delivering core educational facilities.

Neither does my Department have any expertise or knowledge in relation to housing supply or housing policy in general. Any analysis of student accommodation in a particular locality would have to take account of the availability of other rented accommodation in that area. Any proposals would have to be considered in the context of national housing policy as set by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

As the Deputy will be aware, a number of initiatives have been taken by the Government to improve the availability of student accommodation in recent years.

Section 50 of the Finance Act 1999 incentivised the provision of dedicated student residential accommodation, while the Rent a Room tax relief introduced in 2001 has encouraged private householders to rent out rooms to students.

A review of the Section 50 tax exemption by Indecon consultants for the Department of Finance in 2006 concluded that it had served its purpose and that oversupply was potentially developing as an issue. As a result the scheme will be phased out in 2008 although the tax relief will apply for 10 years from the date that the property is first let to students.

The Deputy will also be aware that there have been record increases in the overall housing stock, with over 700,000 new housing units built over the past ten years.

Notwithstanding all of this, I am conscious that student representatives believe that there is a shortage of suitable rented accommodation in the Dublin area in particular.

My colleague, Minister Gormley, has recently suggested commissioning a study from the Centre for Housing Research on the availability of rented accommodation for students in the greater Dublin region. I am pleased to state I have signalled to him that my Department would be willing to consider co-funding such a study, subject to agreement on terms of reference and costs. Discussions are now due to take place at official level on this.