Ninth Level Ireland

“Trinity Development and Alumni has raised over €200,000 for the student hardship fund, after launching an appeal for donations last Friday. In an email to staff and students, Provost Patrick Prendergast said that ‘many alumni have responded in support of students at this most difficult time’, and described the donation drive – which was launched on behalf of Senior Tutor Aidan Seery – as ‘extraordinary’ …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 9 April]

“Management at a leading city centre student accommodation complex have been criticised after it emerged they will not be refunding those who return home early. Third level colleges have stopped teaching on site following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s unlikely any will return until the start of the next semester in the autumn. Remote learning is being facilitated, and it’s meant many students have left …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 9 April]

“Private landlords in Limerick say they won’t refund student rents until University of Limerick does the same. The third level institution says the on-campus accommodation has remained open at the facility, with 600 out of around 2,800 beds filled …” (more)

[Clare FM, 8 April]

“Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has blasted the government for its handling of student accommodation refunds amid the coronavirus, criticising a ‘very disappointing’ response from Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor …” (more)

[Danielle Varley, University Times, 6 April]

“Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has described the response from the Minister of State for Higher Education on the issue of student accommodation refunds as ‘very disappointing’. Deputy Ó Broin said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 6 April]

“Clare’s Fine Gael TD insists students at the University of Limerick cannot be left out of pocket with accommodation bills due to the coronavirus. UL’s governing body is to consider issuing partial refunds to students, following the example of other colleges including University College Cork, after being shut down due to the virus pandemic …” (more)

[Clare FM, 5 April]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have called for students to be refunded for any accommodation they can not use during the current pandemic. DCU will not reopen for the remainder of the semester and so a majority of students have been forced to move back to their family homes indefinitely amid the current pandemic …” (more)

[Róisín Phelan, The College View, 4 April]

“Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, has called for government intervention to ensure that students who have left rented accommodation due to the Covid-19 emergency receive refunds from the landlords in respect of time not spent in that accommodation …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 4 April]

“University of Limerick has come under immense pressure from students, parents and politicians alike to refund accommodation fees to its students who vacated the campus due to Covid-19. Students who have returned home have been told they can claim back deposits they paid at the beginning of the year, but will not be refunded rent that covers the rest of the semester …” (more)

[Rebecca Laffan, Limerick Leader, 4 April]

“Students that are currently renting properties from Aparto student accommodation in Montrose have been told they are not in a position to receive a refund. Despite many students having to return to family homes both in Ireland and abroad, Aparto maintain their accommodation is ‘still safe’ …” (more)

[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 3 April]

“UCD President Andrew Deeks has said that students are not expected to receive any additional costs due to potential financial fallout in the university. He has also stressed delays in additional student supports and a negative short-term impact on UCD. This comes after Deeks warned staff of ‘very severe’ financial implications for the university due to COVID-19 …” (more)

[Conor Capplis, College Tribune, 2 April]

“The University of Limerick is refusing to make refunds to students who have vacated the university accommodation due to the COVID crisis. UL Student Union has released a statement urging the university to consider refunding students, demanding that ‘The University of Limerick must show a duty of care to its students during the COVID-19 pandemic’ …” (more)

[Ali Condon, Extra.ie, 2 April]

“Students’ unions across the country, as well as the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), have called on luxury accommodation providers to refund students forced to leave early due to the coronavirus outbreak …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 1 April]

“Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has called for all landlords, private and university, to refund students who have had to end their licences early because of COVID-19. Deputy Ó Broin said: ‘We have received hundreds of emails from students and their parents who have had leave their private rented accommodation and end their licenses early due to COVID-19. They have been refused rent refunds …'” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 1 April]

“Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education, Thomas Byrne, has called on the University of Limerick to do the right thing and refund rent to students who had to leave campus accommodation early due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Deputy Byrne said that UL should be following in the path of other Universities who are refunding pre-paid rents to students who have left …” (more)

[Fianna Fáil, 30 March]

“The University of Limerick (UL) has come under fire after refusing to issue refunds to students who leave the college’s accommodation early due to the coronavirus pandemic. Students leaving UL’s accommodation have been told they can claim back deposits paid at the beginning of the year, but will not be refunded rent that covers the rest of the semester …” (more)

[Alex Connolly, University Times, 30 March]

“Students at the University of Limerick (UL) are urging the university to refund rent to students who leave campus accommodation early due to the coronavirus outbreak. UL has told students they can claim their deposit back early but that rents paid for the rest of the semester will not be refunded. It is in stark contrast to other universities …” (more)

[Kevin O’Neill, Irish Examiner, 30 March]

“Large scale student accommodation providers should refund students forced to return home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s according to NUI Galway’s Student Union and the Union of Students in Ireland, who say landlord firms are refusing refunds to students no longer living in privately operated student buildings …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 26 March]

“A large private student landlord firm is ‘adjusting its policies’, having previously refused refunds to students who left their accommodation during the Covid-19 crisis. However, Uninest, which manages some of the largest student residence complexes in the country, has still not confirmed if it will refund rent to students who felt safer returning to their family homes during the public health emergency …” (more)

[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 26 March]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has called on operators of large-scale student accommodation to refund student tenants who have had to leave college and return home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It says landlord firms are refusing any refunds to students who are no longer living in the privately-operated student buildings, many of whom have lost part-time jobs due to closures as a result of the pandemic …” (more)

[Emma O Kelly, RTÉ News, 25 March]