Funding for student accommodation needs to be put on more “stabilised” footing, the Higher Education Minister has said. 

The Government has previously promoted the use of digs accommodation and provided tax relief for home owners who take a student for the academic year.

Despite this, many prospective college students are struggling to find a place to live - due to high prices and a lack of viable alternatives - and Minister Patrick O'Donovan acknowledged there is a serious issue. 

“That’s why the money that has been recently received in terms of the corporation tax windfall were used for the purposes for which they were used within the Department,” he said. 

“But I would like to see it being put on a more stabilised and regularised format, so that student accommodation does form our budgetary system going forward.” 

Minister O'Donovan said the Government is fully aware of the need to fund the sector to ensure there is long-term growth in the economy. 

“We recognise the greatest threat to our economy is complacency and the greatest threat to society in terms of the continued growth in our economic performance is the continued development of our skills base and the continued investment that we require into tertiary education,” he said. 

Budget 2025 will take place on October 1st.

Main image: Student accomodation. Picture by: Hufton+Crow-VIEW / Alamy Stock Photo