Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 May 2024
20. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide details on new builds for student accommodation, the number of units, and the timeline for their completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22905/24]
View answerLast month An Taoiseach and I announced €100m in additional capital under the National Development Plan that will support delivery of 1,014 new and additional student beds, with delivery commencing from the 2025/2026 academic year.
This allocation enables the activation of Phase 1 of UCD’s stalled student project for delivery of 493 student beds for delivery in 2027/28.
It also provides the funding for the previously activated projects with Maynooth University to progress to onsite construction for delivery of 116 beds in 2025. The DCU project for delivery of 405 beds in 2027 is currently proceeding through the tender process.
The Short-Term Activation Programme under which these projects are being funded is the immediate response in advance of implementing the long-term policy focused on regional needs and responses. The Department is continuing to engage with TCD, UL, and UG in relation to potential projects which are subject to additional funding needs.
14,599 purpose built student beds have been built since 2017, bringing the total stock of student beds to over 48,000 beds.
In the past year 674 additional beds have been made available in University of Galway, 255 in University College Cork, 9 in Trinity College Dublin, 80 in University of Limerick and 3 in MIC.
In addition, information available to the Department indicates that currently there are a number of new private student accommodation projects underway in key campus locations nationwide, with an estimated potential delivery of nearly 2,000 student beds.
The long term student accommodation policy was approved by Government in January. This includes measures for increasing supply of student accommodation, reducing cost of delivery through development of standardised design guidance, and promoting efficient use of existing housing stock while supporting balanced regional development.
