Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Dublin City Council may speak about balanced development but I can provide some figures. It is reckoned that currently, between what has already been granted and what is coming on stream, there will be student accommodation for 8,000 students in a very particular part of the north inner city. Dublin Institute of Technology's Grangegorman campus has indicated it needs accommodation for 4,000 students, 2,000 of whom will live on the campus. While there is a need in the greater Dublin area for 15,000 places in respect of student accommodation, more than half will go to a particular area in the north inner city. At community meetings concerns have been raised about the social implications.

Students are entitled to their parties etc. but when they come in such numbers to areas with families and senior citizen complexes, it will create difficulties. They are also in areas with significant drug dealing, so is there any awareness of the increased pressure on addiction services in those areas as the inevitable will come about?

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