Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
90. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has engaged with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in regard to the need for regulation of digs-style accommodation arrangements. [45584/23]
View answerAll higher education institutions, continue to support their students to find accommodation in the private rental sector through, for example, the encouragement of room rental or ‘student digs’ in family homes. This summer I supported an advertising campaign which ran on radio, social media and national press. Central to the messaging is the ability to avail of tax relief under the rent-a-room scheme, which allows homeowners to receive up to €14,000 a year tax-free. The number of beds offered through digs in July was 1,225. This increased by over a thousand to 2,315 as of the 13th of October, including 410 rooms in Cork. This is in addition to the beds which have been secured by our students for the commencement of the academic year.
However I am very conscious of the need to safeguard our students in digs accommodations, noting that RTB tenancy protections are not applicable to this accommodation provision. My officials have been engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Department of Finance on the legal framework for this scheme. As an interim support, I published a Voluntary Regulatory Framework and sample licence agreement on the 21st of September. The guidance aims to highlight to homeowners and students the key issues to consider when entering into the scheme.
This year as an outcome of the ongoing engagement, Government has approved an extension of the rent-a-room relief scheme to disregard income earned up to €14,000 when determining medical card eligibility and SUSI eligibility. In addition, work is ongoing with the Department of Housing to allow local authority tenants to access the scheme.
