Up to 100 students at UCD have held a protest over planned rent hikes for on-campus accommodation.
Accommodation fees are set to go up 12% over the next three years - with a number of other colleges and universities around the country also raising their accommodation fees.
UCD students say they’re living on beans and chickpeas to pay their rent. They’ve held a protest against planned rent hikes of 12 % pic.twitter.com/rKUVPRoS5w
— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) February 18, 2020
On-campus rents at UCD are currently among the most expensive in the country and are set to rise to over €8,000 per year under the proposed changes.
One student from Galway told Newstalk she has to sacrifice food to pay for her accommodation.
She said: "When I look in my cupboard its tins of beans, chickpeas and then some spices... it's kind of 'if you're making dinner, make dinner for a few days... make it last... make everything last... don't go out'.
"Students should be able to have a good life in college, and not have to live in absolute misery just to make ends meet."
UCD students are gathering for a protest against a proposed on campus rent hike of 12 per cent over 3 years pic.twitter.com/cSi79ii0gW
— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) February 18, 2020
Student Union President Joanna Siewierska, meanwhile, said the planned rent increases should be scrapped.
She said: "We find it completely unacceptable - we're in the midst of a housing crisis, and there's no justification or reason to increase rents by this incredible amount.
"We're already the most expensive on-campus accommodation provider in the country."
