New plans to favour twin bedrooms and shared bathrooms in student accommodation
New national design standards for student accommodation will see twin bedrooms and shared bathrooms favoured over 'individual ensuite units'.
Higher Education Minister James Lawless will bring the Design Guide for State-Supported Student Accommodation for 'formal noting' to Cabinet on Tuesday morning that will introduce new 'national design standards' for new student accommodation. They were developed following a 2023 Residential Construction Cost Study.
It is understood that the new model will include 'greater use of shared facilities'. This will include twin rooms, communal kitchens and shared bathrooms, replacing the 'current reliance on individual ensuite units.'
Sources stated on Monday evening that the plan was devised following extensive stakeholder input from students, providers, planners and experts and 'aims to balance quality, affordability, and delivery at scale'.
They stated that it will 'support higher bed capacity, faster delivery, and procurement savings' and 'encourage a more sociable, integrated student experience'.
There will be collaboration with the Department of Housing to integrate Section 28 planning guidelines.
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers, meanwhile, will warn Cabinet ministers of their responsibility to ensure value for money is prioritised in how they spend public funds.
A memo to be brought to Cabinet will set out the responsibilities of individual ministers to ensure value for money, as well as the legislation that underpins decision-making.
A full and comprehensive review of the Public Financial Procedures, the set of rules around which set out accountability for public expenditure across the civil and public service, is also underway.
Minister Chambers will remind ministers that value for money is about securing efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources to deliver enhanced public services, living standards and infrastructure for the country.
Elsewhere, Tánaiste Simon Harris will bring the heads of the 'Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill 2025' to Cabinet.
The proposed legislation would ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) by rendering any import from the OPT an offence under the Customs Act 2015.
The provisions of the Customs Act 2015 – including powers of entry, inspection, search, arrest, seizure and forfeiture of goods – will apply to the importation of goods from Israeli settlements in the OPT.
The Tánaiste has said that he is open to considering the inclusion of services, as proposed in Senator Frances Black's Occupied Territories Bill.
If approved by Cabinet, Mr Harris' Bill will be sent to the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
The Tánaiste has said that legal clarity is needed on whether or not it is possible to include services and that he has asked the Attorney General to advise on this.
Separately, the Tánaiste will also ask ministers to approve the continuation of up to 13 members of the Defence Forces participating in the UN-authorised NATO-led International Security Presence in Kosovo (KFOR) for a further 12 months. Ireland has participated in KFOR since August 1999.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, meanwhile, will seek approval for a 10-year roadmap to enact the Dublin City Taskforce's recommendations.
The Taoiseach will seek approval to set up a 'Special Purpose Vehicle' under Dublin City Council to drive the implementation of this roadmap.
While that is being set up, a Project Management Office will be established by the council to commence this work urgently.
A detailed Integrated Area Strategy for Dublin City Centre will leverage public funding and private investment to regenerate key sites and tackle vacancy and dereliction.
The GPO complex will be revamped as an 'ambitious' flagship project, with cultural, retail and office elements, funded under the National Development Plan (NDP).
The Taoiseach will also update Cabinet on the progress report of the Implementation Group on Conveyancing and Probate.
This group is tasked with cutting the time it takes for people to legally sell and buy property, and for the probate process after someone dies.
He will advise that the Implementation Group's work will continue for another six months, based on progressing the recommendations and projects identified.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will bring the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill 2025 to Cabinet.
Sources stated that a licensing system will drive greater patient safety protection and monitoring of standards by providing a legislative basis for the oversight and governance of care.
It will apply modern regulatory methods and risk-based approaches to the hospital sector and will provide for standardised care.
Elsewhere, Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien will update Cabinet on an SEAI report on retrofitting.
It will state that the Government has invested €1.2 billion in SEAI-supported energy upgrades across 186,000 homes and 156 community energy projects. In 2024, almost 54,000 property upgrades (up 13% year on year) were completed, while over 21,800 BER B2 upgrades (up 24% year on year) were completed.
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