Student accommodation crisis 'the worst it has ever been'

People take part in a 'Winter of Housing Discontent' protest outside Leinster House, Dublin.

The student accommodation crisis is "the worst it has ever been", according to the president of NUI Galway's Students' Union, with more than 200 students currently staying in hostels in Galway City.

Róisín Nic Lochlainn said the situation had arisen due to "total negligence from the Government".

"Students’ unions have been saying for years we were on the brink of crisis — the crisis is here, this is an across-the-board issue."

Ms Nic Lochlainn’s comments come as the University of Limerick (UL) said demand for accommodation was at its highest in recent memory, with landlords leaving the student rental market.

Clare Austick, president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), said they are “absolutely outraged” by the lack of progress on the issue.

“There are students looking into deferring their year, dropping out of college, are looking at staying in B&Bs, hostels, and hotels for the year. 

"Some will be couch surfing, others will be commuting for the next number of months, which isn’t good enough," she said.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Solidarity-PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett said “the disease” of unaffordable rents that had contributed to the wider housing crisis is now affecting the student population.

“It is completely pricing students out of the market of affordable student accommodation,” he said.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Residential Tenancies Act was introduced to protect tenants, including students, adding that institutes of technology would now be able to borrow to build additional housing supply.

"We will be keeping a close eye to ensure the third level colleges do not charge exorbitant rates to students," Mr Martin told the Dáil.

Meanwhile, the National Homeless and Housing Coalition protested outside the Dáil yesterday to express their frustration with the housing crisis.

Hundreds of people gathered in Dublin city centre on the same day TDs reconvened after the summer recess.