Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the interactions his Department has had with student accommodation providers during the Covid-19 pandemic. [41663/20]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on refunds for student accommodation in which universities have switched to all or mostly online learning in which large deposits were paid by those students. [41664/20]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has contacted colleges regarding the failure by some accommodation quarters to issue refunds to students due to Covid-19; if his attention has been drawn to the issue; if so, the steps he is taking to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43146/20]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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411. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when universities will implement his policy statement of 6 December 2020 (details supplied) that any college-owned accommodation refunds should be provided for; if such rent refunds will be backdated; if so, the date from which they will be backdated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42944/20]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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417. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if third-level institutions will provide rent refunds to students in on-campus accommodation for which courses are now being delivered online for the 2020-2021 academic year; if he has had discussions with the institutions on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42227/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 66, 75, 411 and 417 together.

I am conscious of the challenges faced by students regarding student accommodation this year due to both financial pressures, and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year.

The Deputy will be aware that the university sector has been actively engaging with these issues. My officials have liaised with the Irish Universities Association on this matter and have been assured that all universities have confirmed that students who opted to leave their university-owned student accommodation as a result of reduced on-campus activity will be offered refunds. The processing of these refunds is a matter for the universities themselves, and any student who wishes to receive a refund for their on-campus accommodation should engage directly with their university’s accommodation office. I will continue to liaise with the sector to encourage the availability of fair solutions to students in university-owned student accommodation.

However this applies only to accommodation owned by the universities themselves. In the case of privately-owned student accommodation, I am urging providers to be flexible in finding solutions given the circumstances that students find themselves. There are, however, no powers available to me under the current legal framework to direct any particular course of action.

Refund or cancellation policies in student accommodation should be set out in the license agreement signed at the beginning of the academic year. In the first instance students should engage with their accommodation provider to see if an arrangement can be reached. If this is not possible, students have access to the Dispute Resolution Services of the Residential Tenancies Board.

I have asked my officials to continue to engage with the sector and to keep me updated on relevant developments in this important area.