Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2018
82. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of student accommodation units built or planned in the Dublin 1, 3 and 7 areas since 2014 up until Q4 2017, in tabular form. [9712/18]
View answerTo support and drive increased student accommodation delivery, my Department has implemented several measures under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, including fast-tracking planning applications directly to An Bord Pleanála for student accommodation projects of 200 or more bed spaces, and facilitating low-cost funding availability from the Housing Finance Agency to the higher education institutes specifically for student accommodation projects. Applications for more than 1,400 student bed spaces are before An Bord Pleanála at present, with 2,178 having recently been granted permission at UCD Belfield.
Furthermore, in fulfilment of Action 4.7 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, a national student accommodation strategy was developed and launched in July by my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. Since the launch of Rebuilding Ireland in July 2016, an additional 2,687 purpose-built student beds have become available to the market nationally; nearly 4,500 bed spaces are under construction at present; and a further 8,300+ bed spaces have planning permission but as yet have not had construction commenced.
Detailed information in relation to projects in particular parts of Dublin City is not held in my Department but may be available from Dublin City Council.
