Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Union of Students in Ireland, USI, just held a briefing on the student accommodation crisis, with a particular emphasis on digs accommodation. I encourage the Government to read its survey. It pointed out that purpose-built student accommodation is needed, the Government has not delivered it in sufficient quantities, and many students are being forced into digs accommodation, which is not regulated. While some of it is good, much of it is very problematic in terms of rents, people being pushed out at the weekend, people being made to feel uncomfortable by homeowners, homeowners coming into their rooms, the misadvertising of digs accommodation, etc.

The USI pointed out that the Government promised to publish the national student accommodation strategy three years ago but has still has not done so. It wants the extension of the RTB’s remit to include digs accommodation, so it can regulate the very serious problem students are facing in digs accommodation.

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