Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is actively addressing the availability of student accommodation, given the challenges in the wider rental market. Through “Housing for All”, the Government has approved development of policy and provision of funding to increase the supply of purpose built student accommodation.

This has resulted in the State directly supporting the short term development of 1,071 new student accommodation units by public Higher Education Institutes, where planning permission already exists but projects have stalled as a result of construction inflation and supply chain uncertainties. My officials are also assessing a number of other projects with planning permission for delivery of additional supply.

My Department is also supporting increased usage of "digs" accommodation through the Rent-a-Room Scheme. The Government has approved changes to the scheme to make it more attractive to homeowners. The changes will allow income generated through the scheme to be disregarded for the purposes of social welfare eligibility and medical card eligibility. The changes approved will also allow Local Authority tenants to access the scheme. Work is ongoing across the relevant Departments to progress the implementation of these changes. The scheme provides a tax exemption for homeowners to earn up to €14,000 per annum in rental income. The Government will launch a national media campaign to promote awareness of and participation in the scheme, targeted both at homeowners and students. This campaign will be run in tandem with localised campaigns run by the higher education institutions.

The Government has also approved funding of €1m to support the Technological Universities in the assessment of accommodation needs, which will inform a long term student accommodation policy and methodology which I hope to bring to Government before the summer recess.

With regard to on-campus student accommodation in Cork, I can confirm that UCC has opened applications for the new Purpose Built Student Accommodation at the Crow’s Nest site for the 2023/2024 academic year of 255 new beds. This contributes to a total of 1,534 PBSA beds at UCC. A further 1,000 (approximately) new PBSA beds are expected to be completed by private operators in Cork within the 23/24 academic year.

My officials are also examining proposals with UCC for the delivery of additional supply with planning permission under the short term activation Initiative.

While there is no on-campus purpose built student accommodation within the Munster Technological University, there are private developments under construction in the vicinity and the requirements for MTU will be examined as part of the TU feasibility study which will commence in the coming weeks.