“Rent rose in the fourth quarter of 2020 in all counties, bar Dublin – which saw a 3% decline. One may speculate as to why – loss of students, people moving to countryside home offices or a plethora of other reasons. But what happens when these factors kickback? How, most importantly for readers, will student rents be affected? …” (more)
[Conor Bergin, College Tribune, 13 March]
“The Students Union at NUI Galway is voicing its support for a new bill aimed at protecting student renters during the pandemic. The proposed bill is supported by Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, Labour Party, Solidarity-People Before Profit and Independents for Change …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 25 February]
“Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD and spokesperson on Higher Education Rose Conway-Walsh TD have commented on the launch of the Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021. The Bill has been signed by 56 opposition TDs and was launched with the USI today …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 25 February]
“Launched in the opening days of the new year, the newly formed TCD Renter’s Union (TCDRU) has attracted hundreds of followers across their three social media platforms in the first few weeks of its existence. On these platforms, the TCDRU states its mission ‘to give a voice to all student renters’, and lists among its aims a 25% reduction in rent for this academic year as well as a permanent 10% reduction, as well as a commitment that students who terminate their accommodation during the pandemic will not incur financial penalty …” (more)
[David Wolfe, Trinity News, 19 February]
“Holding landlords accountable and creating a lasting presence on campus were some of the key issues explored at the first meeting of Trinity College Dublin Renters’ Union this evening. The union also addressed the structure of the organisation, its aims and wider links to the Community Action Tenants’ Union (CATU) …” (more)
[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 28 January]
“Students who have arrived in College accommodation but decide to return home for semester two between January 24th and February 28th will only be charged to the date that they leave their room, Trinity announced this evening …” (more)
[Cormac Watson, University Times, 20 January]
“A representative group for Trinity students living in rental accommodation has been established, aiming to secure concessions from College on accommodation. Trinity College Dublin Renters’ Union (TCDRU) states on its social media that it aims to ‘give a voice to all student renters’ and “support students to stand up for themselves” and has begun signing up members …” (more)
[Jack Kennedy, Trinity News, 3 January]
“In March, the Government was forced to act quickly when it was faced with a growing health and economic crisis that is likely to be remembered as a historic event. The then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, announced that all non-essential retail was to close along with cafes, bars and restaurants. Ireland had entered lockdown and with that significant step, the state had taken on the responsibility to pay the wages of hundreds of thousands of people …” (more)
[Paul Ralph, Trinity News, 29 December]
“Queen’s University has given more than 1,200 rent holidays to students moving out of its accommodation for 13 weeks over the second Covid-19 wave – however, there are now calls for the contract suspension to continue …” (more)
[Peter Moor, Belfast Telegraph, 25 December]
“We are living in a world with a growing housing crisis around the student population; something that is troubling to young people, parents, and guardians as a problem once someone reaches third-level education …” (more)
[Conor Capplis and others, College Tribune, 23 November]
“University College Cork (UCC) Students’ Union has confirmed that an agreement has been reached to issue students who wish to return home from their rented accommodation with a refund. Following a meeting with UCC Campus Accommodation, the union posted the update on social media …” (more)
[Breda Graham, EchoLive, 18 October]
“A spokesperson for Cut the Rent TCD, speaking to Trinity News, has confirmed that the activist group will ‘not be able to’ organize a rent strike for the upcoming year. The campaign group was set up last September with an aim to fight the rising costs of student accommodation in Dublin …” (more)
[Shannon Connolly, Trinity News, 18 October]
“Students will pay on average €680 more to rent a room in Dublin for the forthcoming academic year and €462 more in other parts of the country than they did last year …” (more)
[Brian Finn, RTÉ News, 14 September]
“Colleges have lowered the cost of campus accommodation for the first time in decades with students due to spend less time there, the Irish Independent can reveal …” (more)
[Gabija Gataveckaite, Independent, 14 September]
“Students should be refunded for accommodation if another Covid-19 lockdown forces the closure of colleges, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said …” (more)
[Dominic McGrath, TheJournal.ie, 31 August]
“Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she will introduce to provide protections for third level students in circumstances in which many are expected to pay accommodation deposits and a number of months’ rent up front when it is not clear whether they will be attending their colleges for classes in the coming term; if she will ensure that legislative protections are introduced to ensure that those providing student accommodation cannot take advantage of students in view of the current circumstances; if her attention has been drawn to the large demands being placed on students for payments up front despite the fact that many received no refunds for last term; and if she will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 21 July]
“The father of a Limerick student has described as ‘morally wrong’ the refusal of a student village to refund rent which was paid for accommodation that his son had to subsequently leave due to the Covid-19 pandemic …” (more)
[Aine Fitzgerald, Limerick Leader, 19 July]
“While Ireland’s big universities have mounted something of a minor resurgence in the global rankings this year, the last decade has generally seen them take a clanging and clattering descent down the ladder of international academic prestige …” (more)
[Independent, 17 July]
“Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent): To ask the Minister for Finance if third-level student accommodation providers that have refused to refund accommodation costs to students forced to leave college due to the Covid-19 pandemic will not receive State Covid-19 supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil debates, 16 July]
“Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the options open to third-level students whose private landlords refused to provide rent refunds to students forced to leave accommodation due to Covid-19; his plans to encourage landlords to provide refunds; and if she will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 14 July]
