Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2021
224. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if sufficient consideration is being given to housing policy as it relates to student accommodation across all locations in which there is a university, technological university or other such higher educational institution in view of the Housing for All strategy. [61030/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 3.6.3 of Housing for All (Facilitate Lending for Social and Affordable Housing) foresees the Housing Finance Agency's (HFA) role being expanded to enhance the supply of student accommodation by allowing them to lend to Technological Universities (TUs). A commitment is made to legislate for this and the relevant Action Point in Housing for All is 18.10 with delivery expected Quarter 2 2022.
My Department has reviewed the legislation currently in place regarding The Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 (as amended) and is satisfied that it is robust enough to allow any such lending to take place without any further legislative changes. This is because "Institutes of Higher Education" are as defined by the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The 2018 Technological Universities Act amended the 1971 Act to include TUs in this definition. As such, the current text of the 1981 Act will allow HFA loans to be advanced to TUs once of course they have gone through the appropriate application procedures etc.
Facilitating lending in this way will make a positive contribution to supporting the development of Purpose Built Student Accommodation by TUs.
Furthermore, I am committed to working collaboratively with my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to improve student accommodation provision through a dedicated working group set up for that purpose.
