Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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1328. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to construct a single-occupancy bedroom as part of a student accommodation complex; if he plans to alter the policy on the way they increase the supply of student accommodation in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19735/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy on construction costs is not held by my Department. My Department is not directly involved in the building of any student accommodation.

The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) was published in 2017 and is designed to support the delivery of an increased level of supply of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) by reducing planning barriers for public and private sector developers of student accommodation and seeking to address financing barriers for our higher education institutions. The target as set out in Rebuilding Ireland and the NSAS is the provision of 7,000 bed spaces by end 2019 and a total of 21,000 additional PBSA beds by 2024. The 2019 target has been surpassed, with 8,346 bed spaces completed by the end of that year. My Department will continue to liaise with the higher education institutions to ensure access to financing for PBSA projects, in line with the actions set out in the NSAS.