International students are fed up with temporary accommodation in Dublin due to Housing crisis in the country

Travelling overseas to pursue higher studies has become a familiar concept among people. United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Netherlands, Australia are some of the top countries for students to enroll for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. But recently, Ireland is emerging as one of the preferences, when it comes to higher degree education. According to the information, country’s education system is considered as one of the best whereas Irish Universities rank in the top 3% world-wide. Simultaneously, in the top 1% of research institutions in the world. As per the statistics provided by Irish Universities Association, ‘there are now currently over 30,000 international students studying in Ireland availing of the extensive range of courses available.’
However, country is going through a housing crisis since a decade, which is leading to other major consequences. The ‘no accommodation’ situation in the country is becoming a disadvantage for immigrants and international students to consider before planning to settle. Some Irish are blaming increased number of immigrants in the country for the crisis whereas according to an Irish Professor Rory Hearne, ‘The truth, however, is that Ireland’s shortage of affordable housing has not been caused by an increased number of immigrants or refugees, but by 30 years of policies that have left delivery to the property market while decimating social housing’, quoted The Guardian.
Meanwhile, finding an affordable and a decent accommodation has become a difficult task for international students living in Dublin. William is a postgraduate student, pursuing Business Management in one of the Universities in Dublin. He moved to Ireland in 2023 for the course, but since then have changed four accommodations, so far. He said, ‘I came from Portugal in September, and since then I am constantly moving for a permanent affordable house. Here, nobody is offering you a proper one year or 6 months housing contract but some of them are one month or 20 days. Currently, where I am living, the place is available for one month. And then i have to look for another place.’ He further added that living here is inconvenient and it is affecting his part time job and studies. According to the news report, housing is number one issue for the locals and the spring 2023 Eurobarometer poll statistics disclosed that ‘61% of people in Ireland cited housing as one of the two most important issues facing the country. Just 10% of people across the EU highlighted housing as one of the two most important issues’, quoted The Guardian.
Another student Jai from India is pursuing Finance and is an undergraduate student. While he shared his experience on house hunting, he told EAT news, the rent is very high compare to the facilities. ‘Here, the minimum rent I came across while searching accommodation is 600 Euros per month, that too when you are sharing. Excluding the bills and other facilities. Dublin is expensive in terms of rent, but otherwise grocery and transportation balance the expenses. I have six months contract with the owner of house and I am sharing it with few of people. But, when I know few of them who are constantly on search for a permanent accommodation on rent, and it is not easy’, he said.
The housing crisis in Ireland according to Professor Rory is because self-imposed economic restriction over investment that is causing shortage of houses. ‘We can provide enough home for all of us. Ireland has a huge number of vacant and derelict properties and available land. We have the wealth and finance to provide sufficient housing. We could form a public construction company that could transform public housing delivery’, quoted The Guardian. One of the locals, Conor resides in County Meath and described the situation earlier and how it is different now. He said, ’10 years back, we were not facing such severe housing crisis comparatively to what we are in, now. Today, people coming from different countries to work or study have no place to live and it is sad, because even if we want to help, we are not in state to do so. Because, everybody is already doing their bit. Few of people in my known have already rented their rooms to either students or immigrants. I believe government should increase the number of properties because every year country receives international students, workers and the refugees. Government should consider investing in properties and building more houses.’
Irish public is blaming government for the housing crisis and on the other side international students are complaining to not have a proper and convenient accommodation to offer. For students like William, who after a month will be homeless or like Jai who will soon start searching for another house, are questioning whether it is worth coming to the country for higher education when the prime facility like accommodation is not guaranteed by the government.