Ninth Level Ireland

“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]

“Planned rent increases remain on the cards at University College Cork (UCC), with students continuing to ask the university to consider reversing its stance on the matter. In February, students pitched tents on the UCC quad and vowed to stay put until the university backed down on the planned 3% hike in campus accommodation rates …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 25 June]

“UCC are planning a 3% rent increase. UCC owns and operates five centres and 1,300 student beds and announced the plan in February …” (more)

[Red FM, 22 June]

“When it comes to managing its accommodation, it seems Trinity simply cannot stop getting itself into trouble. Dozens of students who left Kavanagh Court in a hurry in March – when Trinity erroneously told them they had to leave, before a startling volte-face the following day – have been offered rent refunds that don’t cover the full period of time that they spent out of the complex …” (more)

[University Times, 14 June]

“Former student residents of Kavanagh Court are furious with the complex’s management – and with Trinity – after they were offered only a partial rent refund despite being ‘basically left with no option’ but to leave their accommodation in March when the pandemic hit …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 14 June]

“Sinn Féin TD for Limerick City Maurice Quinlivan has said that today’s news that students at UL will be granted refunds for vacating student accommodation early due to COVID 19 is very welcome. UL have finally done the right thing. Speaking today in Limerick, Teachta Quinlivan said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 29 May]

“Students who vacated on-campus accommodation at the University of Limerick when the Covid-19 pandemic hit are to receive more than €3.4 million in rent refunds. In a statement on Friday the university said Plassey Campus Centre (PCC) Ltd, the company which manages its on-campus accommodation, ‘has approved the return of rental income to the students who left their accommodation on foot of the government’s decision to close the university campus in March’ …” (more)

[Kitty Holland, Irish Times, 29 May]

“Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider introducing a means-tested intervention to assist student accommodation providers that may not be able to reimburse students for the time they will not be using student accommodation due to Covid-19 restrictions which would allow students to end their tenancy early without financial penalty; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 27 May]

“Students at Dublin City University have been offered flexible accommodation for the upcoming academic year as it is ‘highly unlikely’ they will be on campus for full weeks. With the university planning a mix of face-to-face lab classes, practical sessions and online lectures in the coming academic year, not all students will be on campus at the same time …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 29 May]

“Students of the University of Limerick who left their accommodation on foot of the government’s decision to close the university campus in March due to Covid-19 are to be refunded their rent, it has been confirmed …” (more)

[Aine Fitzgerald, Limerick Leader, 29 May]

“Ireland’s national students’ union will back students working to set up tenants’ unions calling for a ban on evictions in the wake of the coronavirus, in a show of support for a radical approach to student rent amid the pandemic …” (more)

[Ciaran Molloy, University Times, 27 May]

“University of Limerick’s governing body has recommended that its students living in campus accommodation should be refunded because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thousands of students had to leave their accommodation in March and have not been able to return to the university since. There are almost 3,000 beds in on-campus facilities …” (more)

[Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times, 27 May]

“Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD has asked for the Minister for Education to intervene in regard to UL issuing refunds for third level accommodation for the latter part of this college year …” (more)

[Clare FM, 24 May]

“Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has been in discussions with the University of Limerick in relation to its approach to refund students for the cost of their accommodation during the Covid-19 crisis; the assistance or support that will be made available to students and their families in situations in which no refunds are provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 20 May]

“Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has urged the University of Limerick (UL) to ‘get their finger’ out over the refunding of rents to students. It comes after it emerged that Education Minister Joe McHugh took it upon himself to contact the college’s chancellor, Mary Harney to discuss the matter …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 21 May]

“The Governing Authority (GA) of University College Dublin (UCD) has given no indication of seriously considering calls to partially refund fees to students, GA sources suggest. In recent weeks, a group of primarily international and graduate students have called on the university to consider a 30% rebate due to lack of access to promised on-campus facilities as a result of COVID-19 restrictions …” (more)

[Conor Capplis, College Tribune, 15 May]