Minister details plans and funding in place for student accommodation in Carlow

At a Dáil Éireann debate held on Thursday 21st September, local Fianna Fáil TD, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, what plans and funding he has in place for student accommodation in Carlow, now that it is a university town and county.

Commenting on the issue, Minister Harris said "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. 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."