Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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1315. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the accommodation crisis for students who are going to university in Dublin, if it has ever been considered that students who are from Dublin should not be able to avail of student accommodation as this accommodation is needed more by students from the rest of the country who would be a distance from home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33683/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1331. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the need for investment in providing accommodation for students in third level colleges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33704/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1348. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to reports that students have deferred courses at third level colleges because they cannot get student accommodation and that many students have to travel long distances to their college; if students are dropping out of education because of this; the plans in place to construct student accommodation near third level colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33846/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1315, 1331 and 1348 together.

While it is clear that some students have been facing difficulties in finding suitable accommodation because of the housing shortage in some parts of Ireland, particularly in the Dublin region, we have not seen any evidence that would confirm that students are deferring places in college as a consequence.

Capital funding for higher education is targeted at delivering core educational facilities and my Department does not have any funding available for the provision of student accommodation in that context. Nonetheless, I have already called upon third level institutions to do everything they can to support students who are searching for accommodation.

Furthermore, the Student Assistance Fund continues to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need. The access offices themselves will also provide support and advice to students to help them to continue with their studies.

In the longer term, the Government is committed to addressing the housing shortage through the Construction 2020 strategy. This will not resolve all of our problems immediately, but I am confident that the implementation of Construction 2020 will provide us with a sustainable housing stock in the medium to longer term.