'It saddens me to see queues of traffic ... to think that’s the experience our students have' says MTU president

A Cork senator has called for government action to address the student accommodation crisis at MTU, while the college president has slammed the appalling 'gridlock' around the Cork campus.

Cork Labour Party senator Laura Harmon, the party spokesperson for further and higher education, raised her concerns regarding MTU student accommodation and commuting challenges at an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday.

In recent weeks, students at the MTU Cork campus in Bishopstown held a walkout protest to highlight concerns around the cost of living for third level students.

Ms Harmon said the campus urgently needs improved transport links and delivery of adequate student housing.

She said: “I spoke to MTU president Maggie Cusack in the Oireachtas committee, who shares these concerns.

“She described the student experience as ‘very, very poor’ as a result of gridlock traffic and long commutes.”

Ms Harmon said that the lack of affordable accommodation in MTU Cork is pushing people into cars and creating traffic congestion.

Ms Harmon said students commuting to colleges such as MTU Cork have very limited options.

“Those travelling to college on the 40 bus from Tralee to Cork pay €18.20 return and from Killarney to Cork €17.40 return. The prices on this particular bus have risen 34% in 10 years.

“These are unacceptable figures to for students to pay on a regular basis simply to access education.”

At the Oireachtas meeting, MTU president Maggie Cusack said the lack of purpose-built student accommodation and transport infrastructure was creating an “appalling” gridlock centred around the college’s Bishopstown campus.

Ms Cusack said traffic was creating a really poor student experience, “quite appalling actually, thinking about the time our students are spending in cars”.

She added: “We’re literally driving all of the measures in the wrong direction, from climate to student experience.”

Ms Cusack said housing was now the biggest barrier when it comes to student education.

“It saddens me to see large queues of traffic and to think that’s the experience our students have day to day...We often think about what things cost, and I would challenge us to think of opportunity costs and what we’re losing there.”