MINISTER FOR FURTHER and Higher Education Simon Harris has announced that he will amend legislation to crack down on the practice of forcing students to take leases longer than their term times. 

The Minister said he will amend existing legislation to make it “crystal clear” that when planning permission is granted for student accommodation that the mandatory lease period must be confined to the academic year.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland today Harris said he plans to bring the proposed amendment to Cabinet next month.

“Of course the student can extend [the lease period] if they wish, but can’t be compelled to,” Harris said.

Harris’s intervention comes on the back of outrage from students and universities over some accommodation providers forcing students to switch from the standard 40-week lease to a year-long lease. 

This is despite providers being entitled to offer short-term leases to tourists outside of academic term time. 

In a statement this morning, Harris said he has been working with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien on this issue and they both agree the actions of these providers are “unacceptable”.

Earlier this month, The Journal reported that some students in Dublin were told they need to pay on average €3,000 more per year for their accommodation. When asked about it at the time, the Minister said he was looking into the claims.

Harris said today he believes the actions by these providers are a breach of their planning permission.

“I will be writing to the relevant councils seeking an urgent assessment of the permissions provided and appropriate responses,” he said.

“There is very legitimate issues that need to be considered by the planning authorities,” the Minister told Morning Ireland.

When asked today how he would make sure that students don’t see their rents increased as a result of this proposed change, Harris said student accommodation is covered by rent pressure zones which would guard against such an increase. 

Responding to the announcement by Harris this morning, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on further and higher education Mairéad Farrell said: “We’ve had many announcements from the Minister, I will be waiting to see action and this enshrined in law.”