UNIVERSITY of Limerick (UL) must prioritise planning for on-campus student accommodation as it battles ongoing governance issues and a Higher Education Authority (HEA) review.
That’s according to Limerick City Fianna Fáil general election candidate Dee Ryan, who recently met with the UL Student Life president Ronan Cahill.
Ms Ryan said that UL is extraordinarily important for Limerick and the wider Mid West, and the ongoing governance issues and HEA review at the university should not prevent much-needed development on its Castletroy campus.
She said that from a recent meeting with Mr Cahill, the president of UL’s student representative body, “it is clear that planning for on-campus student accommodation must be prioritised by UL”.
“There is currently a situation where students are forced to commute daily from Ballybunion, Galway, Waterford, and Dublin. This is not tenable. There are 2,500 students on a waiting list for a campus room and that figure does not include anyone who is looking but hasn’t added their name to the list,” she said.
“The development of affordable on-campus student accommodation must be prioritised as a matter of urgency.”
The former Limerick Chamber boss is also advocating for further parking and transport facilities at UL, with many students stuck for parking after long daily commutes.
“The ongoing problems relating to governance cannot prevent the tackling of these core issues. I strongly believe that the leadership team of UL must continue to develop student accommodation to help students with facing real and immediate problems,” Ms Ryan said.
In response, University of Limerick said it is very conscious of a shortage of student accommodation and is continuing to work together with government, its partners in Limerick, and the wider sector nationally to find solutions to the ongoing accommodation issue.
“Demand for student accommodation remains high and is consistent with last year. This has been exacerbated in recent years by a national housing shortage, a pattern of private landlords leaving the student rental market, and a drop in ‘digs / homestay’ type accommodation,” UL said in a statement.
The university says it has been working to support students in their search for accommodation, adding that it has worked with the other third-level institutions locally, including TUS and MIC, on awareness campaigns to encourage homeowners with empty bedrooms to consider letting out their rooms to students.
