Students missing out on college life because of high prices, says Cummins

The accommodation crisis is placing an intolerable financial burden on students and preventing full immersion in college life, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins.

With thousands of students celebrating their Leaving Certificate results, the scramble for accommodation is now the next hurdle students and their families have to manage.

Cummins, who is the party’s spokesperson on further and higher education, said “for so many students, the joy of securing the third level course of their choice will quickly be overshadowed by the challenge of having to find affordable accommodation for the academic year ahead.”

“The exorbitant cost, and scarcity, of affordable accommodation – particularly in Dublin – means many students will be unable to accept their preferred college place. For some, this will mean deferring, choosing another course or having to work endless hours to follow their academic dreams,” the Dublin South Central TD said.

The most affordable room on the UCD’s campus costs almost €6,000 per annum, while the most expensive is just short of €12,000.

Cummins said that the rental market for Irish students is “toxic” and that Ireland is far behind other European nations on costs for students.

“It is a disgrace that the financial cost of student accommodation is placing families under such financial stress and preventing full immersion in college life. Shamefully, some cash-strapped students will have to rely on food banks to get by, while others will face endless daily commutes or have to couch-surf to attend the college of their choice,” she said.

“In Ireland, there continues to be an overreliance on privately built student accommodation, where rents are set at sky-high rates to generate maximum profits for developers and investors. In my own Dublin South Central constituency, I am flabbergasted to see even more planning applications for purpose-built student accommodation in Dublin 8 – an area where there is an over-supply of such developments. If granted permission, these apartment units will no doubt be extremely pricey, privately owned and then rented out in the summertime to tourists.”

The Department of Further and Higher Education have stated they are examining other models of student accommodation in other countries – notably Berlin students pay closer €400 per month on average, and in Lisbon, many pay between €300 and €500 – but Cummins said the government’s efforts are of “little comfort” to students and their families in the here and now.

“This week, students’ unions have been actively encouraging people to rent out rooms to students to help ease the accommodation crisis. While digs can certainly form part of the solution, it is important there is proper regulation of such tenancy arrangements to prevent students being exploited or having to live in sub-standard accommodation,” she said.