Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 October 2021
25. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to tackling the ongoing crisis in accommodation for third-level students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49877/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI’m acutely aware of the challenges facing students in securing accommodation this year, and my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working closely together to address these issues.
The shortage of accommodation for students is happening in the context of the wider housing crisis.
In September the Government published Housing For All, a comprehensive plan which sets out the series of actions to be undertaken to fix the housing system. It has the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State. It aims to transform our housing system, with in excess of €20bn in funding provided through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the Housing Finance Agency over the next five years to support these actions. My Department is working with the Department of Housing to support the implementation of this plan.
There is ongoing engagement between the two departments at both Ministerial and official level. This includes a meeting last week between the two departments and our higher education institutions on the provision of purpose built student accommodation on campuses.
Recent engagement also resulted in the issuing of a circular to the Chief Executives of all local authorities, pointing to the critical need for purpose-built student accommodation to be available to meet the needs of students in third level education.
My Department and I will continue to work closely with Minister O'Brien and his officials on these issues and I am meeting Mr O'Brien next week.
