More than 1,200 people have signed a petition calling on NUI Galway to reverse a 4% increase in rent for on-campus student accommodation.
The petition was started by the Students’ Union at NUIG, which said that it was “outraged” at the university’s decision to increase its rent by the maximum legal amount.
This will bring the monthly cost of a single room at the new Goldcrest campus accommodation to €750.
The students union accused the university of “exploiting” students and families who cannot afford the rents they are already paying.
In a statement it “yet again, the University has shown that it is more focused on commercial gain rather than actually supporting students”, arguing that accommodation costs are one of the biggest barriers to third level education.
SU President Clare Austick said: “We meet students everyday who have to work two or more part-time jobs to stay in college, students who commute huge distances, students who can’t afford decent accommodation and students who aren’t in college who should be.”
“We are outraged that in the midst of an accommodation crisis the University is again looking to profit from the desperation of students looking for accommodation.”
An online petition started by the SU calling on NUIG to revoke this rent increase has so attracted over 1,200 signatures since being started three days ago.
