Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
618. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to any quota for accessible or adapted student accommodation on-campus to ensure that all students with disabilities can access suitable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38867/22]
View answerThe 2015 HEA Report on Student Accommodation: Demand and Supply noted that the supply of accommodation for students with disabilities was insufficient, and recommended that any future developments should comply with the recommendations for enabled access as published by the Department of the Environment. The report further recommended that HEIs should consult with relevant stakeholders including students with disabilities on adaptation of existing stock and design for new builds.
The National Student Accommodation Strategy highlights the issue of students with disabilities, noting that HEIs should be encouraged to consider allocating additional bed spaces for students with disabilities as additional on campus bed spaces are delivered and become available.
Thee Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science understands that all institutions which own student accommodation do ring-fence a proportion of this accommodation for students with disabilities. However, in this context and in accordance with the Universities Act 1997, higher education institutions are autonomous bodies as regards independent and own resourced PBSA provision.
