Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation is an issue of which Government and I are actively pursuing. We are committed to addressing supply of affordable student accommodation for priority group students attending higher education in Ireland.

In response to this issue and to increase supply, I brought proposals to Government on Tuesday setting out a new policy that supports the delivery of additional purpose-built student accommodation.

I am pleased to confirm Government has approved my proposals, which include my intention to further engage with the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to examine barriers to participation in this scheme to activate supply of digs accommodation.

Provisions are being sought to examine if income earned by the renting of rooms in primary households could be disregarded for the purpose of medical card and GP visit eligibility. The most recent figures from Eurostat in 2019 suggest that there are 61% of under-occupied dwellings in urban areas indicating potential supply in areas adjacent to universities and technological universities/IoTs.

There are approximately 9,810 people availing of the Rent-a-Room tax scheme according to the latest figures compiled in 2019. The costs associated with this proposal would be the costs of giving a medical card to current participants of this scheme who, as a result of being allowed to exclude their rent-a-room income from the Medical Card means test, would now become eligible.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of plans for any additional on-campus student accommodation to be built at the University of Limerick, the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59487/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation is an issue of which Government and I are actively pursuing. We are committed to addressing supply of affordable student accommodation for priority group students attending publicly funded higher education institutions in Ireland.

In response to this issue and to increase supply, I brought proposals to Government this week and I am pleased to confirm Government has approved my proposed policy response to activate supply of student accommodation.

This landmark policy response will, for the first time, see the state providing financial support in the construction of on-site student accommodation, and underpins the policy commitments set out in Housing for All.

This will involve the State assisting with the cost of building student accommodation so as to ensure increased availability and promote greater access in particular for student groups in line with the National Access Plan. At the heart of the new policy is a commitment to deliver student accommodation to those most in need, and to provide it at affordable rates.

Government has also agreed to a short-term activation plan to stimulate the supply of affordable accommodation for students attending college in UL, MU and UG with the development of up to 700 beds. The immediate priority is to deliver on projects where planning permission already exists but where developments have not proceeded due to increasing construction costs.

In addition, my officials have met all higher education providers and are continuing to engage with a number of other providers, including TUS and MIC to progress consideration of potential projects in key areas. I am aware that MIC are progressing privately on a project for the provision of 68 additional rooms through a refurbishment project.

I will also begin to prepare our Technological Universities for the construction of student accommodation. In order for our TUs to thrive and to ensure we have balanced regional development; we need to have more student accommodation in our regions. Our TUs are ready for the challenge and this funding will start them on their path.