Harris appeals to homeowners to rent out rooms to students 

Simon Harris was speaking at Trinity College Dublin where provost Linda Doyle was showing the Higher Education Minister around the college's soon-to-open disAbility hub. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The Further Education Minister is appealing to homeowners to rent out rooms to students as the new academic year approaches. 

Student unions across the country have warned that students face a huge battle to secure accommodation amid pressures from both the housing and Ukrainian crises.

Simon Harris said that the Rent-a-Room scheme could add thousands of beds for students, with homeowners who avail of it able to earn up to €14,000 a year tax-free.

Mr Harris said that those on welfare can avail of the scheme without impacting their entitlements and that 140 properties around UCC had been let thus far.

Speaking at Trinity College yesterday, Mr Harris described the accommodation landscape for students as “very challenging”

“This is the first year all students will be returning to campuses and colleges for what we hope is a regular college year," he said. 

We have a real challenge in Ireland regarding accommodation for Ukrainian people and the supply issue and we’re working our way through that as a Government, so this is a very challenging environment.

Mr Harris said he does not believe the current student accommodation policy is adequate and must be changed.

He said that the Government is looking at ways to help third-level institutions activate planning permissions.

College-owned accommodation

“I don’t think the policy is acceptable, I haven’t thought that for a long time, so since I’ve taken on this role that’s what we want to change. Which means for the very first time, the Government will invest hard-earned taxpayer money to help bridge that gap so that they can build college-owned affordable accommodation. 

"I am excited about that because colleges, many of them, have landbanks. Many of them have planning permission. And I think that we can really change the face of student accommodation.”

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Asked if he believed that many students must accept that long commutes will be part and parcel of student life from now on, Mr Harris said moves had been made to cut costs for those who live far from colleges.

He said he “bristled” at suggestions that Ukrainian refugees were being housed in priority over students.

“I really don’t mean to bristle at that language, but I do bristle at that language because this is an extraordinarily challenging humanitarian situation, and there aren’t any easy options here.

“And so it’s constantly a balance — a balance between trying to meet the needs of lots of different sectors, and at the same time meet our moral, ethical obligations to support people.”