The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) called on the Government yesterday to spend £65 million on on-campus accommodation to combat the current housing crisis for students.
Speaking at a protest outside the Department of the Environment the president of USI, Mr Philip Madden, said the Republic was far behind other European countries in the provision of on-campus accommodation.
He said only 8 per cent of Irish students lived in on-campus accommodation while many European countries housed up to half their student population in purpose- built housing. "The Government must address this issue. Investment in purpose-built student housing would be an essential step in addressing the housing problem in our cities."
Student officers from USI and several colleges from different cities in the Republic said that this year would probably be the most difficult for students yet in terms of accommodation availability and price.
According to NUI Maynooth Students' Union president, Mr John McCormack, there has been a steady stream of students coming in to look at the college's housing lists since early August although term does not start until September. At yesterday's protest USI also called for full tenant rights for students living in on-campus accommodation and the appointment of more inspectors to enforce minimum housing standards.
In a publicity stunt to draw attention to accommodation standards students wearing hard hats and carrying tools erected a shabby cardboard house outside the Custom House and stood beside a placard which read "To rent £65 a week per person - students need not apply."
The equality officer of the USI, Mr Martin French, compared the state of the cardboard hut to the quality of some student flats. He said: "I've lived in some absolute hovels. The only benefit for the student is you don't have to be careful because everything is already broken anyway."
A USI survey found that Trinity College Dublin, NUI Maynooth, University College Cork, NUI Galway, Dublin City University and Mary Immaculate College all have a ratio of more than 10 students to every place in on-campus accommodation.
The survey also found that Galway University had the highest price for on-campus accommodation in the State. The price of a single room in Corrib Village, Galway's student village, is £59.32 per week. This compares with the cheapest on-campus accommodation at NUI Maynooth where a single room costs £41.50 per week.