Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the crisis in student accommodation. Just to let the Minister know what is happening, there were eight students in accommodation in Galway who, at the end of November, got an email stating they had to move out of the apartments they were in because of renovations. They moved out and they were moved into similar accommodation in two groups of four. Within two or three days, families were moved into the accommodation the students left with no renovations done. Last year, these students paid €8,000 for their accommodation. This year, they have got quotes of €10,000, which is an increase of 25% in a rent pressure zone where rents are supposed to be going up 2%. The reason they could do that was that they moved the students into accommodation they said was renovated. The students went to seek alternative accommodation locally and when they did, they were told that 2,000 applicants had applied for 200 vacancies. That is the crisis that exists in student accommodation. What is the Government doing about it? It is beginning to be unaffordable for families and for students to go to college.

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