Labour stands in solidarity with TCDSU protest
- Student accommodation hikes unacceptable
Labour spokesperson for further and higher education Annie Hoey said students can no longer be seen as cash cows by the third level sector.
Speaking at the student protest arranged by Trinity College Students’ Union today, Senator Hoey said:
“Trinity’s decision to increase the cost of student accommodation by 2%, beyond the maximum legal limit, is truly outstanding.
“Students are not immune from the housing crisis, and universities are not immune from the few regulations in place to protect those on the coal face of the crisis.
“The cost of accessing accommodation should not be a barrier from anyone accessing education, and Trinity’s decision to disadvantage its students is simply unbelievable.
“Students, like all renters, deserve certainty of tenancy and affordability. Students should not have to picket outside one of Ireland’s most iconic tourist destinations, the Book of Kells, to highlight this with the institution.
“Annual increases in student accommodation in Trinity and other institutions has been well documented, but in the context of the brutal housing market, something must be done to protect student accommodation.
“We stand in total solidarity with Trinity students who are standing up against being seen as cash cows.”