Vol. 561 No. 1
297 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans his Department has and the consultations his Department has had with third level institutions in regard to the provision of student accommodation on available campus land; the consideration his Department has given to developing such facilities or financially assisting them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3705/03]
My Department does not provide direct financial assistance for the provision of student accommodation. In recognition of the difficulties students can experience in obtaining accommodation and following consultation with third level colleges, a special tax incentive was introduced to encourage the provision of dedicated student residential accommodation in section 50 of the Finance Act 1999. The tax incentive is available for expenditure up to 31 December 2004 where an application for planning permission is received by a planning authority by 30 September 2003. The opportunity exists, therefore, to create significant additional accommodation for third level students.
Properties qualifying for relief under the scheme are campus areas of the educational institution or areas within an 8 km radius of the main campus which are approved by the educational institution as being an area within which a qualifying development may take place. The rent a room relief scheme was introduced in the Finance Act 2001. It allows home owners to rent out a room in their homes and have rental income up to €7,620 a year tax free. The scheme encourages householders to rent rooms to students.
