Galway accommodation costs slammed at pre-election hustings

by Lucy Kent

The cost of student accommodation in Galway was strongly criticised at a pre-election hustings debate at DCU on Wednesday (25 September). The future funding of the Irish higher education sector was the main focus of this debate, which was attended by Galway Oireachtas members Senator Pauline O’Reilly and Deputy Mairead Farrell.

Addressing the gathering, Sinn Féin’s Deputy Farrell said recently-build ‘luxury’ student accommodation in Galway was far too costly for most students. “You wouldn’t see it in Canary Wharf,” she remarked.

The debate was hosted by organisations representing students, universities, businesses and academic researchers including the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), Irish Universities Association (IUA), Technological Higher Education Association (THEA), Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce.

In a joint statement, they said: “Both domestic and multi-national companies cite the sustainability of educated, high-skills talent as crucial to Ireland’s competitiveness. We are at risk of falling behind our key competitors across the globe if the investment, pledged by government under Funding the Future, is not delivered.” 

Held in front of a live audience, the debate featured political representatives from across party lines including Senator Malcolm Byrne, Fianna Fáil; Senator Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael; Richard Boyd Barrett TD, People Before Profit; Senator Annie Hoey, Labour and Gary Gannon TD, Social Democrats. 

Welfare of the nation 

“Nothing is more important to the welfare of a nation than the education of its people,” said Dáire Keogh, President of DCU. “A failure to invest in higher education in Ireland will be our Brexit, it will be as significant as Brexit to Ireland and the citizens of this republic.”

The representatives’ main points were centred around the deficit of €307 million per annum in core funding which was identified in 2022, but still has not been tackled.

Government spending 

When posed with the question of how Ireland could afford to spend €100 million to lessen or get rid of university fees, Richard Boyd Barrett highlighted the government spending on tax expenditures, which is roughly €800 million. In his view Ireland has provided “enormous giveaways to certain vested interests”, referencing multinational companies. 

The politicians involved all mutually agreed that change needed to occur regarding future funding of higher education.  

For the Irish Universities Association (IUA) manifesto, visit: https://www.iua.ie/press-releases/usi-iua-thea-ria-and-the-british-irish-chamber-make-joint-call-for-step-change-in-investment-in-higher-education-and-research/.