Accomodation Questions Remain As SETU Campus Takes A Step Closer

Student accommodation will be considered for the new SETU campus in Wexford but not right away.

Provisions for purpose built housing for students have NOT been included in the preliminary business case currently being evaluated by the Department of Higher Education.

The case mainly relates to the delivery of a tertiary campus in Wexford Town but the site does contain land that could possibly be set aside for housing.

Higher Education Minister James Lawless says their strategy for student accommodation is going to focus on the cities first before Wexford is included:

"Our student accommodation strategy is being rolled out on a phased basis.

"So it's in Dublin, Cork and Galway now, it'll be Limerick, Athlone and Waterford next and it will continue around the country.

"I've no doubt that Wexford will be a major part of that in due course and if the relevant agencies want to submit a site then they are welcome to do so."

A Wexford TD has hit out at the lack of accommodation planned for the Kileens area.

Labour's George Lawlor says that's a mistake and he'd like to see it rectified:

"I'm disappointed to hear accommodation is not part of the business case.

"For a town like Wexford where you have a large number of students hopefully descending on it, to not have accommodation available is regrettable.

"I'd ask the Minister to lean into this and look into the addition of accommodation."

Sinn Fein's Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin also welcomed the announcement but pointed out that providing accomodation isn't just a necessity for students, it's the right thing to do.

He also wondered allowed about how foreign entites could do it no problem so why can't we?

"Georgia Southern University from the United States is providing accommodation in the Adoration Convent which is absolutely fantastic but I find it ironic that an American university is providing for its students and we aren't."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.