Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1999.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures his Department is taking to improve the provision and availability of student rental accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35299/24]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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2000.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures his Department is taking to improve the provision and availability of student rental accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35300/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1999 and 2000 together.

The availability and cost of accommodation is a challenge for many students especially at this time of year. Last week I updated my government colleagues on the progression of policies designed to alleviate these challenges.

A capital investment of €100m from the National Development Plan windfall allocation enabled the progression of 1,014 new Purpose-Built Student Accommodation beds - 30% of the new beds will be ringfenced for target group students at below market rates. Construction has commenced on Maynooth University’s 116 bed project, UCD’s 493 bed project will go to tender in 2025 and DCU’s 405 bed project is progressing through the tender process.

Building on Government support for a student accommodation policy, I am developing a new Student Accommodation Strategy for increasing supply of state supported student accommodation, reducing the cost of delivery through development of standardised design guidance, promoting efficient use of existing building stock through refurbishment and an examination of vacancy, while supporting balanced regional development through the Technological University feasibility study.

The new strategy will also continue to have a focus on the promotion of digs accommodation as a key provider of flexible and affordable accommodation. The 2024 rent-a-room campaign commenced on 9 August 2024 across print and social media channels. As of the 28th of August 2024, a total of 3,849 digs beds are being advertised by our universities and colleges, an increase of 1,249 beds since the beginning of the campaign. This campaign is complimented by individual localised campaigns undertaken by the Higher Education providers and students unions.

For the 2024/2025 academic year, €600,000 in Dormant Accounts funding has been committed to assist students from Traveller and Roma backgrounds and those with experience of the care system with the cost of accommodation, when living independently while attending third level education.

In addition, to protect students in the rental market, I have worked closely with Minister O’Brien to bring forward legislative amendments. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 was signed by Minister O’Brien on the 18th July and appointed 19th July 2024 as the date on which the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2024 comes into operation.

The Act ensures that Student Specific Accommodation (SSA) leases/licenses are aligned to the traditional academic calendar of September to May (up to a maximum of 41 weeks). The Act also strengthens the protections for students on advanced rent payments to ensure students are not sought/required to make payments of more than what is currently legislated for to secure a tenancy/licence in SSA.