The accommodation crisis is placing an intolerable financial burden on students and preventing full immersion in college life, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins.
Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s spokesperson on further and higher education, said:
“For so many students due to receive their Leaving Certificate results this week, the joy of securing the third level course of their choice will quickly be overshadowed by the challenge of having to find affordable accommodation for the academic year ahead.
“The exorbitant cost, and scarcity, of affordable accommodation – particularly in Dublin – means many students will be unable to accept their preferred college place. For some, this will mean deferring, choosing another course or having to work endless hours to follow their academic dreams.
“It is a disgrace that the financial cost of student accommodation is placing families under such financial stress and preventing full immersion in college life. Shamefully, some cash-strapped students will have to rely on food banks to get by, while others will face endless daily commutes or have to couch-surf to attend the college of their choice.
“In Ireland, there continues to be an overreliance on privately built student accommodation, where rents are set at sky-high rates to generate maximum profits for developers and investors. In my own Dublin South Central constituency, I am flabbergasted to see even more planning applications for purpose-built student accommodation in Dublin 8 – an area where there is an over-supply of such developments. If granted permission, these apartment units will no doubt be extremely pricey, privately owned and then rented out in the summertime to tourists.
“Reports today also highlight the rising cost of on-campus accommodation, especially in Dublin where annual rents can be more than 50 per cent higher than other parts of the country.
“I welcome the fact that the Department of Further and Higher Education is examining other international models of student accommodation. However, this will be of little comfort to the thousands of students scrambling to find a place to live in the weeks ahead.
“This week, students’ unions have been actively encouraging people to rent out rooms to students to help ease the accommodation crisis. While digs can certainly form part of the solution, it is important there is proper regulation of such tenancy arrangements to prevent students being exploited or having to live in sub-standard accommodation.”
August 20, 2025