Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, and Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, have outlined the Government's new long term policy to develop student accommodation.
The plans for the new student accommodation beds in Dublin City University and Maynooth University with both to go to construction in the coming months.
At the University of Limerick and University of Galway work is progressing and approval in principle for further investment has been secured. Funding is provided on the basis that a portion of beds will be ring-fenced for disadvantaged students;
Under this new policy:
• The Government will fund the delivery of purpose built student accommodation
• A call for proposals for accommodation projects for Technological Universities will open in the coming weeks;
• Vacant properties will be repurposed into housing for students, including properties on college owned lands;
• Reducing cost of construction and increase the pace of delivery through standardised design;
• Improved public transport to be explored for students;
• Continued support of the digs scheme with local authority and medical card changes to come into effect.
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Minister Harris said: "I am delighted to confirm Government has agreed a long-term policy on student accommodation.
"This policy will help increase the supply of student housing in campuses across the country but will also help prevent students competing with families for private rental accommodation.
"This vision and policy will inform a new Student Accommodation Strategy, which will be published later this year."
Minister O'Brien said: "Supply is key to addressing our housing needs and thankfully it continues to increase. We have a robust stock of new homes in the pipeline as evidence by yesterday’s record breaking commencement figures.
"Today's announcement points to even more supply and is the result of close collaboration across Government. We know that for every student space that is created it helps to ease the pressure in the private rental market and both I and my Department will work with Minister Harris and his Department in significantly scaling up this supply.
"From limiting the amount of deposits which can be requested, to introducing a renters tax credit and implementing a 2% cap on rent increases which apply to student specific accommodation also – this Government have clearly demonstrated we want to level the playing field for students."
Minister Donohoe said: "I welcome the work to date on developing a policy in regard to student accommodation and look forward to the continued engagement between D/FHERIS and my officials with regard to the continued development of this policy and student accommodation proposals.
"Taking a longer-term view, in any area, helps us to better plan for the future and to provide for exactly what it is we need.
"This policy is designed to address the issue of student accommodation and to better meet students’ housing needs. This, in turn, aims to improve the level of housing stock for others in the community; families, couples, other workers, as they will ultimately not be competing for the same premises.
"It should also provide students with greater certainty and affordability when it comes to securing a place to live during the academic year. I look forward to the publication of the full Strategy in the coming period."
Funding for this Policy will be agreed through the National Development Plan.
State funding will be allocated to facilitate the construction of housing on university campuses. A specific portion of the funding is reserved for certain groups of students, offering accommodations at rates below the market average for an agreed-upon duration.
This long term policy will inform the development of the new student accommodation strategy and associated schemes to be developed in 2024.
