Mr. Michael Kerrigan:

Deputy Barry made some comments on homeless students. The worst comment I heard in recent years also related to Cork. A mature student in UCC, who stayed in the university until late at night when it closed, would sleep under a bridge until it opened the following morning.

That case was not too dissimilar to those of the students mentioned.

We see that large numbers of students are living in small rooms throughout the country, especially in the major towns and cities, including Dublin, Cork, Galway and Maynooth, where there have been serious accommodation issues in recent years. Rogue landlords are in the minority, but they exist and simply because they are a minority does not mean we should do nothing about it. These rooms are not only being taken by students but also working professionals and foreign nationals because they are desperate. Students are working in precarious jobs and do not get the grants that were available five or six years ago. Students are desperate because grants have not increased in value, whereas the student contribution has increased by 375% since 2008 and the costs of accommodation have increased significantly.

We do not have enough purpose-built student accommodation. Students are being forced into the private rental sector where they are at a disadvantage straightaway. The vast majority of students seeking to rent do not take 12-month leases because they move home for the summer to work or whatever. When a student is looking for a nine-month lease at the start of the year, he or she is at a disadvantage. They must also look for a new lease every year, which means they pay a new rent and it is always at the higher rate of market rent. Students are always disadvantaged and cannot compete with young professionals or families.