Sir, - I read in your newspaper (October 19th) that the housing shortage in Dublin continues to worsen. We now have a situation where the Eastern Health Board is finding it almost impossible to meet the need for emergency accommodation.
One proposal which would make a significant difference to the current housing crisis would be a major programme of investment in student housing. In Dublin city alone, 50,000 third-level students are competing for a finite number of houses in the private rented sector. Only a small percentage live in on-campus developments.
This is in stark contrast to many of our European neighbours. In Finland, for example, almost half of all students reside in campus accommodation. Can you imagine the difference removing say 20,000 students from the private rented sector would have? This would free spaces for the average worker who is finding it so difficult at the moment to find affordable accommodation.
Next Wednesday students will march to Dail Eireann to highlight this and other issues.
The money is there to implement such a scheme. All we lack is the political will. - Yours, etc.,
Sarah McGovern, President, Students' Union, Dublin Institute of Technology