Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to ensure sufficient supply of student accommodation for third level students for 2024/2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23080/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In April 2024, the Government committed €100m to progress over 1,000 new student beds. This allocation enables the activation of Phase 1 of UCD’s stalled student project for delivery of 493 student beds for delivery in 2027/28.

It also provides the funding for the previously activated projects with Maynooth University to progress to onsite construction for delivery of 116 beds in 2025, and DCU project for delivery of 405 beds in 2027 is currently proceeding through the tender process.

It is recognised that a mix of solutions is required to assist students, and that is why I along with Government colleagues progressed an extension of the rent-a-room relief scheme, disregarding income earned when determining medical card eligibility and reckonable income for support under the SUSI grant scheme.

Dig accommodation can provide a suitable option of some students. Last year my Department ran an awareness campaign focused on student digs accommodation, with localised campaigns ran in tandem with the HEIs and student unions. Digs beds advertised increased from 1,225 beds to over 2,400, July – September ’23. Due to its success the Department plan to run another campaign this year. The number of student beds advertised at the end April 2024 via Rent-a-Room scheme is 2,178.

The long term student accommodation policy was approved by Government on the 16th of January 2024. This policy will inform future student accommodation strategies and schemes which will be developed throughout 2024.

Since 2020, 8,591 student beds have been completed with 6,396 of these beds in the private market and 2,195 beds provided by public HEIs. The total stock stands at over 48,000 beds.