Students reach out to homeowners to help them secure their futures

UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) this morning launched a ‘Digs Drive’ asking homeowners in Dublin to make spare rooms available to students this September and for the 2022/23 academic year, if they are in a position to do so.

The representative body for the 33,000+ students at Ireland’s largest university says that the on-campus experience of a growing number of Third Level students is at risk, and that the failure of successive Governments to address the issue has created a higher education catastrophe.

In response, the UCDSU team has arranged for a mass leaflet drop in areas close to UCD and those well-connected by public transport. 

UCDSU President Molly Greenough said: 

“We are urgently appealing to homeowners to consider housing a UCD student under the Rent-A-Room Relief scheme ahead of this academic year.

“A safe, affordable roof over a student’s head will empower them to excel in their academic pursuits, get involved with social life, and develop into people who can contribute to Irish society.”

UCDSU has also reiterated the call for a “meaningful cut” to be made to the Student Contribution Charge ahead of the upcoming academic year.

On this, Ms. Greenough added: “Putting money directly back into the pockets of students and their families represents the most appropriate emergency measure.

“A cut of just €500 would only cover about a fortnight’s rent with an overwhelming majority of purpose built student accommodation providers.

“We would like to see the Minister go much further and make a meaningful cut, allowing students to decide for themselves how to make the best of a really bad situation.”

UCDSU Welfare Officer Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich said: 

“On the most serious end of the spectrum, students who can’t find somewhere to live for the year are being forced to take leaves of absence, defer their courses, or take on significant debt to pay for somewhere to live if they can find somewhere at all.

In our accommodation survey last year, a quarter of respondents who commute were travelling over an hour both ways to get to college.

“Some reported making a 4 hour round trip every day. Nobody can apply themselves to a degree in these conditions.

“That was last December. Students and their families are at breaking point, physically, financially, and mentally.”

The Students’ Union, while drawing attention to advantages of the Rent-a-Room Relief Scheme, is also asking homeowners to consider the current cost of living crisis and keep this in mind when setting rental levels.

Students need affordable, adequate places to live in order to reach their full potential. The current scheme allows for homeowners to earn up to €14,000 tax free.