I propse to take Question No 199 and Question No 200 together.
To help with the supply of accommodation in the short term, the Government committed to provide funding to Higher Education Institutes to build student accommodation that had planning permission but could not proceed due to the high cost of construction. Subsequently, €100m in capital investment from the National Development Plan was committed over the period 2024-2026 for the Short-Term Activation Programme.
The 116-bed project in Maynooth University, Buckley House, was officially opened on the 8th of September and is the first completed project under the Short-Term Activation Programme, marking a dynamic step forward in enhancing student accommodation and campus life.
The second project approved was the 493-bed project on the Belfield campus at University College Dublin. Each of the bedrooms in this project is a Single Occupancy Study Bedroom with ensuite arranged in apartment clusters typically ranging from 4-8 bedrooms. The total exchequer funding for this project is €67million.
I can assure the Deputy that both of these projects were subject to a comprehensive due diligence process as part of the Short-Term Activation Programme.
It is envisaged that pricing for the 493-beds will be set at a single band. The Higher Education Authority, on behalf of my Department, continue to work with UCD in relation to this project, including the provision of rooms to National Access Plan students at below market rates in line with the terms of the funding.
