Cork student union says shared accommodation plan 'not ideal'  

A Cork student union spokesperson has said that while State-backed shared student accommodation is “not ideal”, a solution to provide more units and bring down the cost of student living is “badly needed”.

The minister for further and higher education, research, innovation, and science, James Lawless, recently announced the publication of the Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation.

In an effort to address the ongoing student housing crisis, the guide includes provision for shared bedrooms, shared bathrooms in place of en-suites, and communal kitchens.

The new design will support a higher bed capacity in purpose-built student accommodation, faster delivery times, and reduced costs for students.

During a meeting of Cabinet, Tánaiste Simon Harris denied that the move was about squishing students into small accommodation units, saying: “That’s the last thing the Government is seeking to do.”

Badly needed

Speaking to The Echo on the proposed shared bedrooms, UCC Students’ Union communications officer Alex Fuertes Roper said “it is not necessarily ideal”.

“But at the same time, it is a solution which is badly needed. It is conflicting,” he said.

“At the end of the day, Cork is so expensive. So, there will be people who avail of shared rooms because for so many it will be the cheaper option.”

Echoing these sentiments, MTU Students’ Union president Richard Noonan said: “While it’s going to be good in giving students more accommodation, it’s being viewed as the only solution to this issue.”

Cork has the lowest number of public-built student accommodations at 18%, with Dublin far surpassing this figure at 46%, with 36% in Galway, and 56% in Limerick.

Option

In Cork, private-owned student accommodations are currently offering an option for twin rooms at a lower cost.

However, Mr Fuertes Roper said: “There is such a stark difference in the price between public and privately owned accommodations.”

“We definitely want to see a rise in publicly owned accommodation.

“We want the Government to focus on the economic cost being reduced for students as well as the economic cost of it being built.

“Which is kind of the idea with this standardised plan.”