Harmon presses Minister on student accommodation crisis
Harmon presses Minister on student accommodation crisis - The Labour Party
Labour’s Further and Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Harmon has said that a meeting with the Minister for Further and Higher Education today was constructive, but warned that students and families urgently need clarity and action on fees, rent and accommodation, as costs continue to spiral. Speaking following the meeting in Leinster House, Senator Harmon called on the Minister to reduce the cost of education, rule out further rent hikes for students under RPZ legislation, and immediately publish the long delayed Student Accommodation Strategy.
Senator Harmon said:
“I welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister today and I acknowledge that the engagement was constructive. However, students and their families have heard warm words before. What they need now is clarity and certainty, particularly when it comes to rent levels, fees and the overall accommodation strategy for students.
“At a time when the cost of living, the cost of commuting, the cost of eating and the cost of renting continue to skyrocket, the Minister for Further and Higher Education must side with students. Enough is enough. Families are already enduring an additional €500 cost through increased student fees, and they cannot absorb any more pressure.
“There is deep concern among students and parents that changes being signalled could pave the way for multiple rent increases for students living in purpose built accommodation, even within Rent Pressure Zones. That would be completely unacceptable. RPZ legislation is meant to protect renters, not create a back door for further price hikes targeted at students.
“The Minister must give clear assurances that students will not be treated as a captive market or as cash cows. Education should open doors, not push young people and their families further into debt or precarity. If we are serious about access to education, then reducing the cost of attending college has to be a core objective of Government policy.
“Today’s meeting followed a protest outside Leinster House, where students, unions and representatives from AMLÉ came together to highlight the real pressure facing those in further and higher education. Those voices reflect a growing frustration across the country. Students are working longer hours, commuting further, and paying extortionate rents just to stay in education.
“I am calling on all students and their families to join me and send a clear message to Fianna Fáil and to Government. Students are not cash cows. They deserve fair rents, affordable fees and a clear plan for accommodation that puts their needs first.”