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Third Level Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Questions (103)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

103. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to alleviate the economic pressures on students in higher education and in particular his plans to provide affordable student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6440/22]

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Written answers

I am very aware of the impact the cost of living and in particular the cost of accommodation has on students and the challenges students are facing.

The Government has taken action to address affordability in Student Accommodation. Rent increases in student accommodation is capped under the Rent Pressure Zones. As of this academic year, students cannot be made to pay more than two months’ rent up front when commencing a tenancy, ending the practice wherein students had to pay several thousand euro up front to secure accommodation.

There are a number of supports available to students facing financial barriers to attending higher education, the principal one being the Student Grant Scheme, which assists more than 70,000 students annually to access third level education.

The Student Grant Scheme includes a "non-adjacent" rate of grant which is a higher rate of grant that takes into consideration the additional costs which may be associated with living further away from college, such as accommodation costs. From September 2022 the distance for the “non-adjacent rate” will be reduced from 45km to 30km, meaning that more students will qualify for this higher grant rate.

Students experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. The allocation to the Student Assistance Fund for the 2021 academic year is €17.2 million, which includes an additional €8.1m of the COVID-19 return to education funding.

However, fundamentally the accommodation challenge is one of supply and we need to increase the supply of all types of housing and accommodation, including student accommodation.

That is why the Government has launched Housing for All, led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This sets out a series of actions which will be delivered to fix the housing crisis. The plan is backed by the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State to transform our housing system, in excess of €20bn.

Housing For All contains a commitment to support technological universities to develop purpose-built student accommodation where such a requirement exists, through access to appropriate financing.

The development of PBSA by technological universities would lead to an increased supply of student accommodation and improve technological universities offering to prospective students. My officials are working with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to progress this commitment.

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