Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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746. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has anymore plans to encourage the use of more online learning given the accommodation crisis facing students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22566/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Third level institutions are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including the mode of delivery of programmes of study. HEIs have taken significant steps to ensure that teaching and learning is enhanced by the integrated use of digital technologies, both on-campus and remotely.

Many HEIs are and will be developing new blended learning programmes for validation. Programmes that are delivered partially or fully online, need to be developed with that mode of delivery in mind rather than merely being translated or transferred from the original face-to-face programme model.

I am very much aware of the difficulties facing students currently seeking to secure accommodation to facilitate their studies in Higher Education. It must be recognised that fundamentally, the challenge is one of supply of housing more generally. As a country, we know that we need to dramatically increase the supply of all types of housing and accommodation, including student accommodation. That is why the Government has launched Housing for All, led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage setting out a series of actions which will be delivered to address the housing crisis. The plan is backed by the largest housing budget in the history of the State to transform our housing system, in excess of €20 billion. Since taking up office, both my Department officials and I have engaged and continue to engage on as ongoing basis with the Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the wider higher education sector and relevant stakeholders on student accommodation issues including within the context of the advancement of the Government's Housing for All policy.

In March this year I announced a State investment of more than €40 million to support the delivery of 405 student accommodation beds in DCU, with work also ongoing with UCD, Trinity and UCC on similar projects that will support the Housing For All strategy. The 405 beds will be in addition to the 667 new beds approved by Government last November.

It is also important to note that, following the submission of a joint proposal from my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Government agreed to the expansion of the income disregard for the rent a room scheme for medical card holders. Since 1 May, any income gained under the scheme up to the €14,000 limit will be disregarded when determining medical card eligibility. Local Authority tenants can also access the scheme and rent out a room in their home. A homeowner can rent a room, retain their social welfare entitlements where applicable, and earn up to €14,000 in rental income before having to pay tax. This income is also disregarded for the examination of reckonable income for support under the Student Grant Scheme.

My Department and I are working on a strategic policy and methodology for state supported student accommodation provision which I will update Government on by the end of June. This policy approach will acknowledge the importance of appropriate supply and affordability of student accommodation for our higher education sector in meeting the increasing student numbers and realising the commitment of government as set out in Housing for All.