Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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926. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress he has made on exempting students in the private rented sector from the forthcoming abolition of rent controls between tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55527/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I fully support the major rental sector reforms announced by Minister Browne, particularly the measures to enhance security of tenure and extend rent control nationwide. These changes are a vital step toward providing greater certainty and protection for all tenants.

However, student accommodation remains a distinct and critical part of our housing system. The annualised cycle of university programmes presents unique challenges for students in private rental and student specific accommodation that must be appropriately addressed. Affordability and availability must remain central to our approach, and I am committed to ensuring future policies reflect the real needs of students.

Minister Browne and I, along with our teams, are committed to addressing these challenges. The current rent pressure zone restrictions apply to student specific accommodation, and it is our intention to retain this linkage.

Pending the development of provisions to be incorporated into upcoming modifications to the Residential Tenancies Acts, I would like to assure students that the existing protections continue to apply. The Residential Tenancies Acts provide numerous protections for students residing in Student Specific Accommodation, including rent increases being capped at a maximum of 2% in Rent Pressure Zones where general inflation is higher.