I gather a new national student accommodation strategy is being developed as we speak. The 2016 policy targeted no new student accommodation in Waterford, despite the issue of a university in Waterford appearing in the 2011, 2016 and 2020 programmes for Government. To reiterate: none, nada, nothing. I cannot resist the cheap shot that this is one of the few targets in housing the Government has actually achieved. WIT, now known as SETU, was at the vanguard of developing its own student accommodation, with the College Fields development dating back to 1992. It was the first institute of technology to do so. Of course, this was back when WIT management had some control of its own affairs and strategic planning. In the current programme for Government, Waterford was barred from borrowing as part of the process, forcing it to accept the technological university. Will the new student accommodation policy have any scintilla of ambition to address the brain drain in the south east? When will SETU be allowed to borrow?

To correct a point made by the Deputy, we met our housing targets in 2022. We exceeded them in that year and in 2023, and substantially so. As regards student accommodation, I will be with the Minister, Deputy Harris, tomorrow at a launch in DCU. We have already invested €61 million in additional student accommodation that we want to be affordable. My Department has worked directly with the Minister, Deputy Harris, on this.

Specifically in respect of the south east and Waterford, the Deputy will be aware there has been unprecedented investment in Waterford and the region since the Government came into office. I have had the pleasure of being in Waterford on several occasions, seeing game-changing investment there. The Waterford Crystal site has been purchased as well. We are working with the technological university in the south east regarding the provision of additional student accommodation. I will be with the Minister, Deputy Harris, tomorrow. I will discuss it directly with him and revert to the Deputy.