Student Accommodation Crisis

Ireland’s student accommodation crisis continues to deepen, with thousands of students struggling to find somewhere affordable to live as the new college year begins. Students’ unions say the situation is getting worse, with rising rents and a shortage of purpose-built accommodation leaving many students facing difficult choices about their education. Meanwhile, Clare's opposition TD claims access to third level education is at risk of becoming a 'two tiered system' due to the accommodation crisis. It comes in the wake of Students at the University of Galway staging a sleep out in protest against the lack of legislation around digs accommodation. The lastest figures show the average yearly rent for students in Limerick and Galway was above €16,000. Shannon Sinn Féin TD, Donna McGettigan, says additional hidden costs are pushing more people away from third level education. Alan Morrissey was joined by Emma Hogan, President of TUS Students’ Union, Seán de Búrca, President of Comhaltas na Mac Léinn, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, and Eva McCormack, President of UL Student Life to discuss what students are experiencing on the ground, and what they believe the Government needs to do to tackle the crisis. Photo (c) Craig Adderley from Pexels via Canva