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THERE HAS BEEN a ‘notable increase’ in the proportion of students who are paying €750 or more per month for accommodation during their time in college, according to a survey by students in University College Dublin.
In total, more than three-quarters of students in who do not live at home or own their own home are paying over €750 per month in rent, according to the report by the UCD’s Students’ Union.
In both 2021 and 2022, around two-thirds of students were paying those rates. The Union has said that these increases are preventing students from having a holistic college experience.
Miranda Bauer, president of the Students’ Union, has highlighted the issue after presenting it as the main finding from the Accommodation Report. She has called on Government and education institutions to carry out their “duty of care” to students.
The Students’ Union have claimed that the stark differences in cost is evidence that “no meaningful improvement” has been made by Government to the student accommodation landscape.
Lack of student accommodation has been a long-standing factor during the housing crisis, particularly at the start of each academic year. Student representative bodies have been sounding the alarm over the lack of accommodation for almost four years.
Government has taken some measures to improve the situation, such as banning 51-week leases and extending the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board in certain arrangements. It has also allocated funding for over 2,700 more beds.
However, the report highlights that there is still a lack of regulation around digs-style accommodation, particularly when ensuring that the rights of tenants are protected.
Digs-style accomodation was the third-most common type of housing, after excluding those who still live at home, according to respondents.
The majority respondents said they found the process of finding accommodation in Dublin “difficult” and very few found it straightforward. The students also cited difficulties to keep up with the associated costs with renting.
The Students’ Union has said that these findings point to the need for a reassessment of the existing housing supports available to students. Later, their report details that some of their findings have impacted their wellbeing and education of students as well.
Mairéad Farrell, Sinn Féin TD and spokesperson for higher education, has backed the students’ call and asked that Government expedite her proposal to ensure the rights of tenants in digs-style housing are protected.
Other findings in the report include that the majority of UCD students have encountered fraudulent adverts for housing during their search for accommodation. A minority of respondents said they had fallen victim of a scam.
Earlier today, gardaí issued a warning to students over rental scams after the force found that one third of all accommodation fraud reports take place during August and September each year.
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Reminds me of the scene in only fools and horses when Albert was being questioned about being overseas in the war. He was actually stationed in a parts depot on the isle of white. The barrister says to him, the isle of white? hardly overseas? He replies, you wanna try and walk it pal!
Did nobody think to show him a map?
@Social Guy: or the sole of their boot.
Another example of petty unionism. Oul Lizzie knew the score.
My god I was wondering for a min what was point of showing, a maybe not great moment for Trimble, in a kinda minor matter considering all things that had to be discussed over those tense years. Actually thought no need for that sort of stuff anymore… then I woke up and realised it’s all about Bertie the ‘hero’ .. One could think a Presidential campaign is ongoing. wonder will it be Bertie adds pop’n up.
I for one do acknowledge his role in the GFA as I do many others and don’t omit them either.
Bertie was a player in the details of the GFA, but after its conception was won by others.
Is Bertie beating the British ongoing to be the campaign narrative.
@Troll Hunter: Don’t panic. We’ll be given the chance to judge him at the ballot if he runs for president. We were afforded this opportunity for Martin McGuinness. He received just 13.7% of the vote.
@honey badger: did northern Ireland have a vote in that 13.7?
@Pork Hunt: Different jurisdiction, porkie, of course not. It did highlight how his appeal wasn’t shared as universally as the shinner hagiographers insisted. ;)
@honey badger: Morning Badger. I truly at first thought it was actually a low blow at Trimble..
Is there any chance for once to have some sort of an actual conversation ? I know you hate SF/IRa an all that.. Many do, and for many reasons. It doesn’t surprise me, I can understand many of the reasons they have. I can understand soldier Jack hating them and all things Irish, when someone wants to kill you, it’s understandable that eventually you will get to hate and want to kill them in return. Will you tell us why you hate them so much ? Are you British, A soldier a Unionist etc? Don’t tell me if you dont want to .. but if you were I’d actually understand it and while never agree, respect it.
@Troll Hunter: This isn’t a therapy session, my friend. As I told you above, you’ll have a chance to judge Ahern if he runs for president. We all will. Don’t panic. Stay on topic. :)
@honey badger: That came out all wrong, but intention was pure.. but never mind, a momentary lapse in judgment, in thinking you’d put your money where your mouth is.
@Troll Hunter: Your lapse was addressing yourself as “us” and the attendant arrogance of expecting a reply to a question that’s predicated on the assumption that I must be British, a soldier, or a Unionist to hold McGuinness in contempt. No wonder you still seem shocked that McGuinness wasn’t carried by cheering crowds to Aras…
@honey badger: I wasn’t assuming you were, I was saying that I understand those views coming from them.. as i said on other Ian Paisley article to the ex British para..
@honey badger: You’re a worse bigot now, than Paisley was then, before he accepting both histories, shaking hands like a man and moving on with goals of truly moving on…
Think about that for a minute ..
@honey badger: comments are getting split for some reason and some pieces missing.. tedious enough to comment .. let alone without it getting mixed up.. so good day sir..
@Troll Hunter: Nope. Your implication assumes that only british/soldiers/ unionists have an understandably dim view of McGuinness/SF. I suppose it’s easier to digest than 86% of the electorate rejecting old Marty/SF. I won’t even mention how 93% of the electorate rejected Liadh Ni Riada/SF in 2019 – you’ve enough to contens with ;)
@honey badger: old Marty did a lot better than your buddy Alan Shatter! Now there’s a truly vile despicable man!
@joe moody: Shatter was elected several times, served as minister for justice. Marty came down here, told lies on tv, didn’t get elected, and returned to his role as joint chief administrator of British rule of northern Ireland. Good old Marty! A true son of Roisin!
It gets more bizarre by the day.
And now we have the WILD ATLANTIC WAY fantastic island we live in
We live on an island, everywhere else is overseas! But instead of it being noted , it turns in to another excuse for them to block what the people voted for.
So build a bridge? Surely everyone would support that and then barmy reasoning would be er, less barmy
@Thesaltyurchin: In one of the few things that Bojo actually followed through on when he was PM he commissioned a study which itself cost £1m into the feasibility of a bridge between NI and Scotland. The final cost came in at £400bn or something in that region. It would have to be closed for about 150 days a year due to the weather and the construction would have to navigate a WW1/WW2 munitions dump. It would also take decades to complete and would connect the middle of nowhere in NI to the middle of nowhere in Scotland. In other words it will never ever happen.
@John Moore: These proud people would get it done.
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