“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have called on the government to break the barriers to third level education. In a statement, the USI criticised government ministers Joe McHugh and Mary Mitchell O’Connor for downplaying the accommodation and higher education funding crises …” (more)
[Tadgh McNally, The College View, 20 August]
“An Bord Pleanala has issued its opinion that an application for a major new student accommodation complex in Terryland can be formally submitted. The plan is led by Montane Developments Ltd …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 19 August]
“Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo, Lisa Chambers, has hit out at Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, for failing to cap spiralling student accommodation rents. The government has for a second year running failed to implement rent caps on student campus accommodation, according to Chambers …” (more)
[Mayo Advertiser, 16 August]
“Sir, – The recent comments by Minister for Education Joe McHugh, stating that students who can’t afford to go to university should consider regional options (Home News, August 14th) are elitist and imply that studying in university is only for the wealthy …” (more)
[Laura Harmon, Irish Times, 17 August]
“The Government has been heavily criticised for suggesting students should use their Susi grant to cover the cost of accommodation, or go to regional colleges. Fianna Fáil accused Fine Gael of having a ‘let them eat cake’ attitude to higher education costs facing families, as Leaving Cert students receive their first round CAO offers today …” (more)
[Hugh O’Connell, Independent, 15 August]
“The SUSI grant was never intended to cover the full cost of college, the Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Higher Education has said. Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime, Mary Mitchell O’Connor also ruled out a proposal by the incoming President of the National Parents Council Post Primary that the Government could act as co-guarantor for loans that parents have to take out to cover the cost of their children’s third-level education …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 14 August]
“Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor has advised students to use their grant from the SUSI grant to pay for accommodation increases, amid a funding crisis the government says it can’t tackle until after a general election …” (more)
[Orla Murnaghan, University Times, 14 August]
“Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Fingal Louise O’Reilly has criticised the Fine Gael led government labelling it ‘arrogant and out of touch’, as two Ministers offer tea and sympathy to students and families facing rising third level costs. Deputy O’Reilly said: …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 14 August]
“Families who cannot afford to send their children to university should consider more affordable options in regional colleges, Minister for Education Joe McHugh has said. He was speaking after more than 58,000 students received their Leaving Cert results on Tuesday morning …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 14 August]
“The education minister has denied he is electioneering over promises to freeze student fees. Joe McHugh has previously promised there will be no increase to the €3,000 student registration fee, and he says he does not see any price hike if Fine Gael remain in government – a statement that has been criticised as ‘electioneering’ as the nation prepares for an upcoming general election in 2019 or 2020 …” (more)
[Aoife Moore, Belfast Telegraph, 13 August]
“If ever there was a sign of just how normalised the student housing crisis has become, it was the response of students to Trinity’s increased accommodation costs this week. Exasperation, rather than shock, was the prevailing mood to reports that the College had brought in €13 million worth of income from its student accommodation over the past year, even as the price of a room in Goldsmith Hall – hardly a palace – rose by €389 between last September and this one …” (more)
[University Times, 11 August]
“More than 55,000 Leaving Cert students are set to receive their exam results on Tuesday under a new fast-tracked process which will see college applicants receive their offers before the end of this week. The changes also mean students who appeal their exam grades will receive their results three weeks earlier than normal …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 August]
“The cost of student accommodation for the year 2019/2020 has increased nationwide, with UCC introducing the highest price increase in Ireland. All five of UCC’s on-campus accommodation facilities – University Hall, Victoria Lodge, Castlewhite apartments, Victoria Mills, and Mardyke Hall – saw price increases between 10% and 11.5% …” (more)
[Samantha Calthrop, University Express, 11 August]
“More than 140 people have signed a petition against plans for a €30m student village opposite Punch’s Cross. The proposals for 326 bedspaces through 100 apartments and 30 buy-to-rent units are currently being decided An Bord Pleanala, having skipped local planners due to the fact more than 100 living spaces are being provided …” (more)
[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 10 August]
“The President of NUI Galway says the college’s student accommodation is aimed at providing accessible and affordable bed spaces to students. A new survey reveals the university took in €5.2m last year for student accommodation fees – a decrease of several hundred thousand euro for the second year running, despite rising rents …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 9 August]
“Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has criticised increases to College’s student accommodation prices, arguing that they make living on campus unaffordable to those in need of financial grants. In a statement published this evening, TCDSU President Laura Beston said: ‘TCDSU has not, nor will it ever, support rent increases on our campus’ …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 9 August]
“NUI Galway has once again experienced a sharp drop in revenue from student accommodation. A new survey reveals the university took in €5.2m last year – a decrease of several hundred thousand euro for the second year running, despite rising rents …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 9 August]
“A developer plans on turning the former Rialto Cinema into purpose-built student accommodation. Molaga Capital Limited has applied to An Bord Pleanála through strategic housing development (SHD) to turn the former cinema site into a 317-bed student building …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 9 August]
“University College Dublin made €27.5 million in rental income from student accommodation in 2017. This is nearly over €10.3 million more than the college made in 2014 …” (more)
[Aakanksha Surve, DublinLive, 9 August]
“Trinity received an income of €13 million from its student accommodation in 2018, a 33% increase from 2014. The Irish Independent today reports that College made a profit of €10.9 million from student accommodation last year, bringing in €13 million while spending €2.1 million on maintenance and refurbishment costs …” (more)
[Orla Murnaghan, University Times, 9 August]
