Earlier this year, the lack of rent controls in purpose-built student accommodation was highlighted by students in Dublin City University, DCU, when the owners of Shanowen Hall hiked rents by 27% to €1,000 per month per person. At the time, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, gave a commitment that he would bring student rentals under the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, to be covered under rent pressure zones. A new academic year has started and it seems there has been no progress in that regard. Is anything being done in this area to protect students in this kind of accommodation?

We have draft legislation ready, which will come to the Cabinet soon. I have worked on it all summer.