USI to lead national ‘Raise the Roof’ protest on accommodation crisis
The Union of Students in Ireland will this afternoon lead a national protest on the current accommodation crisis.
The National Housing Protest is gathering outside Leinster House to ‘Raise the Roof’ ahead of the Dáil vote on the housing crisis.
According to the USI, Thousands of students will march from the Garden of Remembrance from 12.30pm-2pm today, meeting with Trade Unions, housing and homelessness charities and civil society groups along the way.
Today is the day. Join us at the Garden of Remembrance at 11am and fight for the students who need fighting for the most.
On the night of the 2016 census, there were 429 homeless students in Ireland. This makes up over 8% of the total homeless numbers. #RaiseTheRoof pic.twitter.com/bFjFjQpoh1— Union Of Students In Ireland (@TheUSI) October 3, 2018
Speaking in advance of the march and rally, USI President Síona Cahill said: 'On the night of the census in 2016, there were 429 students homeless in Ireland – making up 8% of the total homeless numbers.'
'There are students effectively being locked out of college because they cannot find or afford suitable accommodation while they study – it’s not good enough, and it’s affecting access to education.'
'Students are couch-surfing, staying in hostels while they try to find a place, and increasingly the victims of rental scams. Hundreds of students have had to defer college places altogether.'
'We will not accept that homelessness is ‘normal’ in Irish society with communities and families continuing to suffer. There has been a failure of essential planning by government in tangibly addressing shortages in provisions for homeless people, and slow progress in the development of much needed social housing.'
'The Union of Students in Ireland is calling on all parties to support the cross-party motion in the Dáil today and take immediate action on rent hikes and make significant investment in affordable purpose built student accommodation.'
The rally intends to highlight the extent to which people are being priced out of the private rental sector.
