Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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725. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline progress on the construction of new on-campus student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53078/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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For the first time, the State is investing in student accommodation to help address the sector’s viability and housing shortage. Under my Department's Short-Term Activation Programme (STAP) €100 million in capital funding has been approved to support stalled university accommodation projects.

I officially opened Maynooth University’s 116-bed project on the 8th of September, with these beds available to students for the current academic year.

On the 5th of September, I announced the allocation of €67 million in state funding under the STAP to enable University College Dublin to enter contract for the delivery of 493 new student accommodation beds.

In addition, my Department is developing the new student accommodation strategy which is due for completion in Q4 this year. The strategy will aim to enable viability measures to increase the supply of student accommodation and to provide measures to address affordability for students facing the greatest socioeconomic challenges.