The Union of Students in Ireland, USI, just held a briefing on the student accommodation crisis, with a particular emphasis on digs accommodation. I encourage the Government to read its survey. It pointed out that purpose-built student accommodation is needed, the Government has not delivered it in sufficient quantities, and many students are being forced into digs accommodation, which is not regulated. While some of it is good, much of it is very problematic in terms of rents, people being pushed out at the weekend, people being made to feel uncomfortable by homeowners, homeowners coming into their rooms, the misadvertising of digs accommodation, etc.

The USI pointed out that the Government promised to publish the national student accommodation strategy three years ago but has still has not done so. It wants the extension of the RTB’s remit to include digs accommodation, so it can regulate the very serious problem students are facing in digs accommodation.

I agree with the Deputy, for a change, on this issue. We need to move away from the extent to which we rely on digs accommodation at the moment, to more appropriate student accommodation, which should be on-campus or close to campus where possible. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has done an extraordinary amount of work in this area. Now more than ever before, we are seeing student accommodation being delivered right across the university campuses, both in Dublin and outside of it. There is much more in the pipeline. We will see the benefit of that so students can move into more appropriate, tailor-made student accommodation. This will free up digs accommodation for other types of residential accommodation, which is badly needed.