I again raise the issue of student accommodation refunds. I am dealing with a parent who has paid €5,000 to a private provider in Galway and whose son's course has since gone fully online. I met a representative of the students' union at the National University of Ireland, Galway, NUIG, last week, which is dealing with about 30 families seeking refunds from the same accommodation provider. The reason given by the provider for not paying the refund is that the Government does not have restrictions in place on the use of student accommodation facilities. This is a disgrace. Parents are under immense pressure and many have to borrow to pay these student accommodation fees. I ask that the Government intervene on these matters and that students get refunds of their accommodation fees.

I am sorry to hear about that situation. As I think the Deputy will know and appreciate, when it comes to any form of accommodation, it depends on the contract that was signed on the lease or licence agreement and no Government can change a contract retrospectively. If somebody enters freely into a contract to buy a service or pay for accommodation, it is what the contract states that matters. Unfortunately, there is not any way that any Government or Oireachtas can change a contract that people signed and freely entered into. Perhaps the best thing for the Deputy to do would be to take a look at the contract and see whether she can provide the parent with some legal advice as to what his options are.