Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
81. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what plans and funding he has in place for student accommodation in Carlow, now that it is a university town and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40746/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraCould I ask the Minister what plans and funding are in place for student accommodation in Carlow, now that we are a university town and county, and if he will make a statement on the matter?
I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor very much for raising this issue and for working with me on the delivery of the South East Technological University, SETU, which benefits Carlow, and also issues relating to Carlow College, which I know she is very passionate about and on which I am very committed to working with her.
We want to see more college-owned student accommodation. It is so important that we are not just reliant on the market or on universities borrowing of their own volition. In my view, we need to get much more stuck in because it increases overall housing supply. It also provides opportunities for technological universities not just to serve their region but also to welcome in students from outside their region, which is really important. That is why we are providing funding to the technological universities to develop their plans. As Deputy Murnane O'Connor knows, because we have discussed it, we have provided €1 million to the technological universities to work with experts on developing their plans. They will establish how many beds are needed in Carlow and in Waterford and what the overall need for the region is. There will be the output of that work, plus another piece of work I am doing with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on standardised design and what student accommodation should look like, so we are not starting with a blank sheet of paper every time. I believe those two pieces of information will enable us to take steps forward in 2024 on the delivery of student accommodation for the technological universities, which of course includes Carlow as well.
I will also say in the time available to me about Carlow College that I very much welcome that there have been discussions with SETU and that it has referenced in its strategic plan the importance of Carlow College. I thank Fr. Con and others in Carlow College for their work. Obviously, this is a matter for SETU to decide in consultation with Carlow College, but we now have a fund available – the technological sector advancement fund – to the technological universities to draw down for projects. It may well be appropriate that it might decide to seek funding under that fund to be able to further accelerate and explore the opportunities that there are with Carlow College.
I thank the Minister for his work. It has been a pleasure to work with him in recent years on the work he has done in the south east, but in particular for Carlow. We are speaking about student accommodation. This morning I took a quick look at the rental sites and saw that the average rent for one month in Carlow is €1,400 for one- or two-bedroom apartment-style accommodation. Five options are available at the moment, which is awful, but in other places there are none at all. What the Minister said about student accommodation is right. Location, cycle lanes and transport are all so important. Carlow County Council will start its spatial plan on 1 October, so planning for housing and accommodation will be crucial for students as well as for people who require housing.
I also want to talk about Carlow College, St. Patrick's. As the Minister stated, talks are going on at the moment with SETU about integration. Does the Minister have any update on where we are? I believe we need to have this done urgently. This is so important. I know the Minister is working on that with me.
I have a couple of points to make. I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for all her work. Only last month my Department gave approval to SETU to purchase a site, which will provide an access route to SETU's currently owned site of 4.7 acres. That is quite an important position. Any integration of Carlow College into an autonomous higher education institution remains in the first instance a matter for the respective governing authorities. In this context, my Department understands that the college has been engaging with SETU on potential incorporation. I note that the strategic plan for SETU, Connecting for Impact, was launched in May. This plan references an action in relation to Carlow College. It refers to an action seeking non-core funding to enable SETU to conduct academic, financial and legal analysis in relation to future partnership models with Carlow College. We now have a technological sector advancement fund, which I think is open for universities to apply for until 19 October. I imagine that SETU may wish to seek funding under that fund so that it can advance the action in its plan relating to Carlow College.
I thank the Minister. As he knows, I am very passionate about Carlow College, St. Patrick's. I am on the governing body and I have always said that. For me as a politician, and for the people of Carlow, County Carlow and the south east, it is imperative that the integration happens. I have been speaking to the different governing authorities. I have made my actions clear, as the Minister is aware, on several occasions.
This has to happen. There is no question about it. The people of Carlow and surrounding areas are delighted that we are now a university town and county. Carlow College, St. Patrick's, has so much to offer. It is an excellent third level education institution. We are lucky to have it. This will and has to be part of SETU.
I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for raising this issue. It is quite interesting, particularly for the Carlow area. I am asking this question for my own clarity because I am new in this role. Something that comes up frequently with regard to the technological universities is the lack of clarity regarding borrowing and whether it will be on the Government balance sheets. Why are the technological universities not considered independent for borrowing purposes in the same way as other universities? Now that so many areas have the exciting opportunity of having a university and students want to come along, there will be greater pressures in terms of accommodation.
I would like to send the Deputy a detailed note on the borrowing framework.
I thank the Minister.
I will not do it justice in this time. We need to win the argument and build up enough confidence in allowing people to access State balance sheets and borrowing. The place to start is on the issue of student accommodation and showing proof of concept through that. I will send the Deputy a detailed note on that.
Carlow College is trying to give an incredible gift to the people of Carlow, the south east and the country as a whole by saying it wants this site to be available for education. I want to see that harnessed. I know the Tánaiste has referenced this point. We all want to see this happen. Deputy Murnane O'Connor is very committed to it. As we know, they are autonomous institutions and it will always fall to the two governing authorities to work through this. That is why the action in the SETU strategic plan refers to seeking non-core funding - presumably from my Department - to carry out various analyses. This is a good way in which to proceed. I encourage it to put in an application through that technological sector advancement fund. That might be a practical way to take this to the next level.
