Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the production of the National Student Accommodation Strategy which was due for publication in the summer months of the previous year (2023); if he will produce a national plan for tackling issues relating to the supply of affordable student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25831/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The first National Student Accommodation Strategy was launched in July 2017. It runs until 2024, with a target of 21,000 additional Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) beds to be delivered. Achievement of this target has been impacted by subsequent events including Brexit, Covid-19 and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.

Housing for All was launched in September 2021 which called for the development of short term state supports to activate construction of PBSA by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as well as development of a policy and methodology for potential long-term state support for the construction of PBSA to provide additionality for targeted cohorts.

The Short-Term Activation Programme has been progressing and is currently supporting development of c.1,000 student beds with €100 million in funding approved by Government in Q1 2024. This short-term approach has been necessary in the context of the housing challenges faced and the inability of HEIs to progress developments with planning permission due to cost viability issues.

Government approval for the long-term student accommodation policy and methodology was received in January. The aim of this policy is to increase the supply of student accommodation and to examine alternative solutions that will remove accommodation as a barrier to higher education through:

• Increasing the supply of student accommodation and relieving pressure on the private rental sector
• Supporting balanced regional development and the Technological University (TU) Transformation Agenda; proposals for accommodation projects for Technological Universities are currently under assessment.
• Enabling supply of new below market rate accommodation for target cohorts
• Reducing cost of delivery of new Purpose-Built Student Accommodation through development of standardised design options for PBSA
• Promoting efficient use of existing building stock
• Examining commuting alternatives to accommodation close to campus
• Continued support of the rent-a-room scheme for provision of digs type accommodation

Since 2017 – end April 2024, 14,599 purpose built student beds have been built. Work is underway on site on an additional 2,117 bed spaces. Planning permission has been obtained for a further 10,986 (April Building Information Report). It should be noted that this number could include projects where planning was granted but the project never progressed further than that or may be on hold. Planning permission for a further 2,016 beds has been sought. The total level of stock stands at over 48,000.