Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an accommodation facility (details supplied) in Limerick will be available to house students in the coming 2023/2024 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31912/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The proposed Punches Cross Student Accommodation site is owned by Cloncaragh Investments Ltd. An application for the development of the site was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanala in March 2023. The permission granted for this development includes 68 student apartments which will provide 318 beds and 30 build-to-rent apartments. Information on this development can be found here punchescrossstudentvillage.com/.

As this is a private development it is outside of my remit to comment further.

Adjacent to the above proposed development is Punchs Residence (formerly Patrick Punchs’ hotel). This accommodation was previously used as student accommodation for Mary Immaculate students during the academic year 2022/2023.

Officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) have confirmed that Punchs Residence has been contracted to provide accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection over the summer period 2023. My officials are liaising with the DCEDIY to receive confirmation it will be reverted for student use.