Decades of failed policies leaves students homeless

As thousands of students arrive back to college without any place to stay as the first term commences, People Before Profit Limerick are calling for urgent action to address what they are calling a student housing crisis.

Over recent years universities have been offering more places every year to meet a growing demand from students who feel they need a third level degree to get any job. Universities have also increased their offerings to international students as the government has required them to find additional sources of funding.

While universities have spent incredible effort in expanding their student placements, there hasn't been a similar push for expanding accommodation for these students. According to People Before Profit Limerick, instead they have relied on the private housing market to meet these needs.

Party spokesperson, Ruairí Fahy, says this has coupled with a growing population in Limerick City to produce “a student housing crisis”.

"The Student Unions warned the Government that a wave of homelessness was coming but the Government decided to ignore the warnings and just head off on their holidays rather than take any action. As a result we have a student accomodation crisis the likes of which we've never really seen before.

"There are hundreds of students across UL, LIT and Mary Immaculate college that are currently homeless, without any permanent residence for this term.

"Yesterday, RTE News reported that Mary Immaculate Student Union in Limerick struck a deal with a local hotel whereby homeless students can stay in the hotel for 5 nights a week at a cost of €390 per student.

"Reports are coming in from colleges across the country of significant numbers of students who have decided to defer their courses for a year on foot of the accommodation crisis.

"If reports of rooms being left vacant in privately-owned student accommodation centres are true then the Government must act to requisition those spaces."

Ruairí Fahy will be attending the National Homelessness and Housing Coalition's "Winter of Discontent" Rally at 17:30 today outside Leinster House demanding that the government admit their policies aren't working and drop their focus on market based housing and instead proceed with a policy of public housing delivered through direct state builds.