Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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In July 2016, the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness identified the under-supply of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Ireland and the significant related adverse impact that this deficit was having on the wider private rental sector. The increased provision of PBSA was established as a key priority in addressing the current wider housing crisis.

My Department works closely with the Department of Education and Skills through the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Student Accommodation in examining the issue of student housing and potential policy measures to increase accommodation supply. This Group which includes stakeholders from the Higher Education Institutes, Union of Students in Ireland and other Government Departments highlighted important issues in developing new student accommodation projects, including the planning and development finance aspects in assembling new development projects.

The work of this Group led directly to the initiation of reforms in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 which provided for the fast-tracking of planning applications for student housing construction projects of greater than 200 bed-spaces to An Bord Pleanála (which commenced on 3 July 2017). In addition, the legislation provides for the availability of low-cost financing from the Housing Finance Agency to the Higher Education Institutes specifically for new student accommodation projects in order to support the delivery of new accommodation projects.

My Department has also assisted in the preparation of the National Student Accommodation Strategywhich was launched by the Department of Education and Skills in July 2017 – a specific action committed to under Rebuilding Ireland. This policy document was developed with input from the key stakeholders in the sector and includes eight key targets and 27 actions to support the delivery of an increased supply of purpose-built student accommodation.

These and other measures by my Department have assisted in delivering a significant increase in the level of purpose-built student accommodation projects coming forward nationally.

Recent analysis from the Higher Education Authority has indicated that, by May 2018, approximately 3,000 bedspaces had been delivered since the publication of Rebuilding Ireland and some further 7,250 bedspaces are currently under construction nationally. In addition, over 7,000 bedspaces have received planning permission but are yet to commence construction and a further 1,200 are seeking planning permission. The scale of this level of additional student accommodation should exert a downward pressure on the cost of such accommodation, through availability of supply and competition. 

In tandem with measures to increase new accommodation supply, my Department has supported the initiative of the Minister for Finance in increasing the availability of student accommodation in private homes through the "rent a room" provisions whereby a tax exemption for the homeowner of up to €14,000 per year can be availed of.

Since 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, my Department has also provided funding to the Union of Students in Ireland for their ‘Homes for Study’ campaign – this essentially funds a website and activities to match students with rooms in private houses through the following weblink:.

My Department is therefore very keenly aware of the concerns raised over significant increases in the cost of student accommodation in certain student complexes and will continue to liaise with wider education-sector stakeholders through the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Student Accommodation under the chairship of the Department of Education and Skills.  For example, the Group will continue to examine the range of student accommodation types (and ancillary services), available with a view to considering how best to regulate pricing arrangements, including, if appropriate, new regulatory or legislative proposals which might be considered in the context of the forthcoming Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018.