Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if financial supports will be put in place to assist college students with accommodation costs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17566/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is working with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. Students who were residing in university-owned accommodation will receive pro-rata refunds if they vacated their accommodation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While I would wish to see pro-rata refunds applied in the case of students who were residing in privately owned student accommodation, it is not within the remit of my Department to direct any accommodation provider to offer a refund.

Student accommodation licence terms including cost, duration, refund and cancellation policies should be set out in the licence agreement signed at the beginning of the academic year. While I would hope that accommodation providers would show flexibility to students in the current times, agreements between students and accommodation providers are a private matter, and neither I nor my Department have any remit to issue instructions in relation to the private rental market.