The student accommodation "crisis" is quickly becoming the "single greatest barrier" to third-level students accessing and completing higher education, an Oireachtas committee will be told.
President of Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLE) Bryan O'Mahony will tell politicians at the Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education this afternoon that students in Ireland are facing a "critical shortage" in publicly-funded, purpose-built student accommodation.
This is hurting access to education, damaging student wellbeing, destroying the student experience and undermining Ireland's future talent pipeline, he will say.
AMLE is the national representative body for students in Ireland and represents over 300,000 students across the island.
Mr O’Mahony will say that the cost of accommodation for students has become unsustainable, with many turning to "insecure or unsuitable arrangements".
This has led to some students reverting to couch surfing with friends or staying in hostels for weeks at the beginning of term.
Some students rely on "unregulated digs" or the rent-a-room scheme in order to secure a place to live during the term, while others commute up to four hours to and from campus everyday, Mr O’Mahony will say.
Mr O’Mahony will say international students are "particularly vulnerable", highlighting the case of 18 international students whom this past weekend were all found to be living in a 2-bedroom house in Co Limerick.
He will tell politicians: "International students are frequently asked to pay several months’ rent in advance or are forced into unsuitable or exploitative arrangements.
"That much was evidenced only this weekend, where 18 international students were found to be living in a 2-bedroom house in Limerick, having been misled by the landlord.
"That is what comes of abandoning students to the private rental market."
"This not only harms individual students but also damages Ireland’s international reputation as a welcoming destination for higher education," he will add.
Mr O’Mahony will call for significant public investment in student accommodation, for affordability to be addressed by the introduction of rent caps for purpose-built student accommodation and for more supports for international students to prevent exploitation.
Oireachtas committee hearings will resume today in line with the Dáil returning from its summer recess.
