“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]
“Fergus O’Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional supports will be made available to college students who have paid full college fees but are advised to remain home under Covid-19 guidelines; if supports will be made available for students who have paid accommodation fees up front; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 15 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]
“There has been a joint call on landlords by the NUI Galway President and the Students Union to provide refunds to students who no longer need to be in Galway due to the switch to online learning …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 14 October]
“Third-level students who have paid for accommodation up-front should ‘absolutely’ be refunded, says Fianna Fail TD and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins. Third-level institutions were originally supposed to be offering a ‘blended’ experience to students with some classes taking place online and others on-campus. Thus, many students have moved to university, however, with new Level 3 restrictions it is unlikely they will be attending lectures in person …” (more)
[Ciara O’Loughlin, Independent, 11 October]
“The University of Limerick will partially refund student accommodation fees, following government restrictions limiting on-campus activity for the next fortnight. The decision was announced on the University’s Campus Life Twitter page, stating that while the accommodation was still open for those who wished to use it, students who decided not to would be refunded for the two week period in which government restrictions applied …” (more)
[Rosie Roberts Kuntz, College Tribune, 29 September]
“No plans for rent reductions to HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) students or other low-income groups on the horizon – according to the UCD Access and Lifelong Learning Centre (ALL). Michell Tracey, ALL’s Student Support Officer, told The College Tribune …” (more)
[Isobel Dunne, College Tribune, 28 September]
“Students in Cork want their money back after paying up front for accommodation this semester. Earlier this week, the government’s ordered colleges to start the new semester with online classes only for the next two weeks …” (more)
[BreakingNews.ie, 27 September]
“Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing student grants to their highest historical levels …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 22 September]
“Hopes of a reduction in rent for students in Waterford have been dashed by a new survey. It shows that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city has gone up by an average of 2% over the past year and by 4% in the county …” (more)
[Michael Wolsey, Waterford Now, 16 September]
“17,000 laptops have been made available to assist students with online learning. Back in August, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, announced a fund of €15 million for student learning devices, in order to ‘… support students and ensure equality of access to education’ …” (more)
[Rosie Roberts-Kuntz, College Tribune, 16 September]
“Sinn Féin spokesperson for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Rose Conway-Walsh TD has called on the government to take immediate action to support students to make it to third-level by cutting fees and increasing SUSI supports …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 14 September]
“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 are planning to stay in a hotel or in bed-and-breakfast accommodation several nights a week when they have on-campus lectures to save money on rent this academic year …” (more)
[Gabija Gataveckaite, Independent, 14 September]
“There is no evidence of a fall in rents relating to Covid-19 for students heading to college this autumn due to an ongoing shortage of supply, according to a new study. The Daft Student Housing Report found the average asking price in Dublin for a room in a shared property was €680 a month, up 0.3% on the same time last year …” (more)
[Tim O’Brien, Irish Times, 14 September]
“Half of students did not get their rental deposits back after they were forced to vacate their accommodation at the beginning of lockdown. A new survey highlights how students were negatively impacted when universities had to close, forcing many to return home to live with their parents …” (more)
[Amy Molloy, Independent, 10 September]
“Kasia O’Connor will fly into Dublin this Sunday with a few pangs about leaving Crete – and not just because the temperature is currently a sizzling 36 degrees. A third year English, Drama and Film student at UCD, she’s been wondering all summer whether the gamble of booking accommodation in Dublin last May for the year ahead would pay off …” (more)
[Marese McDonagh, Irish Times, 5 September]
“Third level students in Cork are preparing for a return to college amid concerns over fees and accommodation costs. With some third level institutes opting largely for supporting students to learn from home, calls have been made for student contribution fees to be reduced …” (more)
[Darragh Bermingham, EchoLive, 31 August]
“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]
