Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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466. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an over-reliance on the private market for student accommodation has contributed to the issues students and their families are facing regarding getting refunds on accommodation costs and deposits. [62823/21]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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479. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether an over-reliance on the private market for student accommodation has contributed to the issues students and their families are facing regarding getting refunds on accommodation costs and deposits. [62815/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 479 together.

I am very aware of the difficulties caused to students and their families by the current shortage of student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge is one of supply, and increasing the availability of both public and private sector student accommodation will be necessary to meet with this demand. Since the launch of Rebuilding Ireland in 2016 more than 11,000 student bedspaces have been built, the majority of which have been in the private sector and I have acknowledged the need for the State to play its part. There are a number of actions underway to assist higher education institutions in increasing their student accommodation supply.

Housing For All contains a commitment to supporting technological universities in developing purpose-built student accommodation where such a requirement exists. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future contained a commitment to work with higher education institutions to ensure that more accommodation is built on and off campus, using cost-rental and other models.