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University of Galway Students’ Union will hold an accommodation protest and sleep out at Eyre Square on Wednesday, 27 September.
The protest will meet at the Quadrangle at University of Galway campus at 4.30pm and later make its way to Eyre Square where there will be speeches before the students set up camp for the night.
The Union is calling on the Government and the University to come up with urgent solutions for the huge numbers of Galway students who are currently homeless.
The sleep out protest aims to draw attention to the plight of the many students who can’t find housing.
Students’ Union President Dean Kenny said: “Our students are among the worst affected by the current housing crisis, we have students commuting for up to 7 hours a day, paying extortionate rent, sleeping on friends couches or living in hostels.
“This is completely unacceptable, and it is down to lack of Government action. Students cannot possibly study, live and work under these conditions. We are calling for more affordable student accommodation, digs legislation, and for our public representatives to finally start taking this issue seriously.”
Students’ Union Vice President/Welfare and Equality Officer Izzy Tiernan said that they are getting hundreds of emails and phone calls every day from students and their families who are desperately seeking housing.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear the circumstances that students are finding themselves in. There’s also been an increase in accommodation fraud which is adding to this nightmare situation,” said Izzy.
