O’Flynn: Student accommodation crisis exposes gap between Government promises and reality

Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, Ken O’Flynn, has said the student accommodation crisis has become an annual scandal that lays bare the Government’s failure to deliver on its promises.

“Every August we are confronted with the same story,” Deputy O’Flynn said. “Young people, who should be looking forward to a new academic year, are instead scrambling desperately to find a place to live. What should be a time of excitement and preparation has become one of anxiety, frustration and, in too many cases, exploitation.”

Deputy O’Flynn pointed to reports showing students across Dublin, Galway, Maynooth and elsewhere being asked to pay rents that rival or even surpass mortgage costs. Many others, unable to afford accommodation, are forced into gruelling two- or three-hour daily commutes that strip away the full university experience. Even more worrying, Gardaí have warned of a rise in rental scams, with students asked to hand over thousands of euro in advance for accommodation that does not exist.

The Government’s record, he said, “speaks for itself.” Of the 1,000 so-called “emergency beds” promised last year, only 116 have actually materialised. Student unions, meanwhile, are overwhelmed with pleas for help from those who remain without housing just weeks before term begins.

“This situation is intolerable,” O’Flynn continued. “Education is meant to be the great equaliser, yet students are being priced out and locked out. The Government must move beyond slogans and short-term promises and deliver real solutions. We need a serious acceleration in the construction and delivery of student accommodation, with transparent timelines and regular progress updates. We need tougher action against rental scams, stricter verification for landlords and online platforms, and an end to the exploitative practice of demanding multiple months’ rent upfront. Universities, too, must set clear targets to expand affordable on-campus accommodation.”

Deputy O’Flynn said students deserve better than to start their academic year living in fear and uncertainty. “They should be focused on their studies, not on whether they will be sleeping in a lecture hall or handing over extortionate sums to rogue landlords. The Government must act decisively. Failure to do so is not only a betrayal of students but a betrayal of Ireland’s future.”