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THE GOVERNMENT IS aiming to enact a Bill that would ban 51-week student leases in time for the Dáil summer recess.
This would mean that the legislation is in place for the upcoming academic year which starts in September.
The typical academic year lasts around 35 weeks and runs from September to May.
However, some student accommodation providers enforce minimum 51-week leases which results in students paying rent over the summer months even if they are not there.
Speaking to The Journal at the time, then Higher Education Minister and current Taoiseach Simon Harris said it was something he felt “very strongly about” and committed to amending legislation to crack down on the practice.
He added that it highlighted the need to “build our own student accommodation” rather than being reliant on the private market.
When approached for an update by The Journal last week, Harris remarked that the legislation is a “priority” for Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and current Higher Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan.
Ministers O’Brien and O’Donovan will today bring a memo to Cabinet to expedite the legal change and ensure students are only required to pay for student specific accommodation for the duration of the academic year.
The aim is to have the Bill passed by both Houses before the summer recess, which will require the cooperation of the opposition.
-With additional reporting from Jane Matthews
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Maybe because they polled people during the day and the working people were still ..ahem …. Stuck in traffic from work…. Collecting kids and feeding them …. Etc etc and only voted after all that was done.
@Peter Roche: during the day maybe… But in the morning plenty casting their vote before heading to work (as I did)
@Peter Roche: spot on. And 5000 people is f, all.
@P. V. Aglue: I know. 5000 seems very low alright. But that’s the sample for a population like ours. Thats what I remember from college anyway. But, it doesn’t work in a country like Ireland. Local issues have been the most important thing to those who voted this time, and in the past. All bar 2011 that is
@Peter Roche: well my polling area was, empty at 8pm. So guess that theory failed.
Techniques used by polling companies out dated and now redundant.
@Argus Romsworth: Absolutely
@Argus Romsworth: Rookie errors. Hope they give the fee back, they should ought to.
Polls were wrong, then I read “commissioned by RTE”, that explained everything. An organization that lied about it’s pay structure & corporate governance, getting things wrong, especially after a nearly Billion Euro Bailout, stinks.
@SV3tN8M4: why does it “stink” that they got an exit poll wrong? It can hardly have influenced the result. You’re a sh it stirrer
@SV3tN8M4: rotten to the core!!!
Was it really a low turnout?. We have 3 voters in our house but received 9 polling cards. Register is wildly inaccurate!
@Padraig O’Brien: good point, a lot of people would not have updated their current locations, and couldn’t be bothered to travel to their polling stations if far away
@Mike B: And some will have died or emigrated.
Lifted off twitter. Raw FPV v 2020 numbers. Also, stresses turn out down, but interesting reading nonetheless.
FF: 481,417 (-2,903)
FG: 458,134 (+2,550)
SF: 418,627 (-116,968)
SD: 106,028 (+42,624)
LAB: 102,457 (+6,869)
AON: 86,134 (+45,217)
GRN: 66,911 (-88,789)
PBP: 62,481 (+5,061)
@honey badger: wow how fascinating. This is absolutely riveting.
@Basildon Joe: Ha ha. Yer still ragin’ the monk was told to FO by the good people of his constituency!
@honey badger: Edge of your seat stuff
@honey badger: Just have to wonder how much of the FFG party’s electorate still be alive in 4/5 years time. The under 55s won’t stay away from the polling stations forever.
Hard luck SF pedos
@Trump24: A second election with a large vote share. As the now established largest opposition party history will tell you they will lead the government after the next cyclical downturn. It’s all but guaranteed. From a Fine Gael voter
@Argus Romsworth: They are finished people don’t want them its absolutely clear as a SF voter
@Trump24: what do people want?.500 billion spent on a hospital and 250k bike sheds it seems
Breaking News: Polling company makes excuses to try and sound relevant.
So they completely make a hames of the exit poll and blame the electorate.
They picked young voters to fill in sheet
Was out with two nephews Friday night they told me the votes Sinn Fein – I asked what was the candidates name they hadn’t a clue then asked name 3 Sinn fein tds – Mary Lou -Mary Lou and Mary Lou.
@Tim Brennan: did you then ask them the other politicians of different party’s names for balance.
@Colette Byrne: No balance required there grandfather would turn in his grave – they stupidly believe SF were going to hand them the keys of a house
Healy Raes in the reckoning for office.
Wishful thinking influencing people who are required to be impartial by moral law and professional integrity
The “Sinn Fein are traitors” campaign smashed any hope young people had of an alternative government. Any of those not in Australia or elsewhere decided not to vote or protest voted.
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