“Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention been drawn to the steep increase in on-campus student accommodation costs in UCD; if he has had any engagement with UCD or the university’s student union on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 17 June]
“Mayo Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers has called on the Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris to intervene and stop University College Dublin charging €8,059 rent for student accommodation for the coming academic year …” (more)
[Connaught Telegraph, 16 June]
“Students hoping to live on campus at UCD for the next academic year will have to pay up to €14,000 for their accommodation, it has been announced. The college has released details of its on-site accommodation for the 2021/22 academic year, with options ranging from €8,059 to €14,465 for returning students looking to rent for the standard two semesters. Broken down, the students would pay €203 per week at the campus’s two cheapest halls …” (more)
[Ellen O’Riordan, Irish Times, 11 June]
“University College Dublin (UCD) recently published the pricing for all on-campus student accommodation for the next academic year. Fees for September 2021 to May 2022 range from €8,059.33 to €14,465, depending on the residence. During the 2020/21 academic year, the cheapest on-campus residences, Belgrove and Merville, were priced at €6,696.95 from September 17 to May 17 for continuing undergraduate students. Also last year, the most expensive residence, Roebuck Castle, cost continuing undergraduate students €10,612.27, which included catering …” (more)
[Bella Salerno, Trinity News, 11 June]
“The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, have today (9th June 2021) announced new student rental protections. Under the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021 any upfront payment upon the commencement of a tenancy will be restricted to a total value that does not exceed two months’ rent ie a deposit and one month rent in advance …” (more)
[gov.ie, 9 June]
“On Wednesday April 28th, Dail Eireann was presented with The USI’s Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Act 2021 by Sinn Fein and signed by 56 opposition TDS. In a statement from the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), they outlined the changes that would take place under the proposed Bill …” (more)
[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 28 April]
“Government TDs are being urged to support the student accommodation bill which will be debated in Dáil Eireann on Wednesday (April 28), by the Union of Students in Ireland and Students’ Unions all over Ireland. The USI’s Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Act 2021 was tabled in late February by Sinn Fein and signed by 56 opposition TDS …” (more)
[USI, 27 April]
“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]
