UCC confirms 3% rent hike on campus accomodation
University College Cork is the latest third level institution to confirm it is increasing rents in campus accommodation.
Students living in UCC-run accommodation will see their rents increase by 3% for the 2020/21 academic year.
The decision comes amid announcements of similar rent hikes at other universities around the country.
Students at University College Dublin staged a rally calling on the college to reverse a planned increase in campus rents of 12% over the next three years.
A UCC spokesman said money generated from on-campus accommodation is put back into the facilities.
"Due to major refurbishing work, the rise in security and maintenance costs, and the investment required to provide additional accommodation for students, Campus Accommodation UCC has decided to raise its campus accommodation rates by 3% for 2020/21. Income generated by Campus Accommodation is exclusively used by the company to meet such costs," he said.
"UCC is extremely conscious of the financial challenges faced by students and has decided to undertake to review the applicability of the 2020/21 increase for students in receipt of student assistance funding.
"Any changes to Campus Accommodation rates are considered together with the student representatives on the Campus Accommodation Board."
UCC has five accommodation complexes. It is in the process of building a new student development on the site of the former Crow's Nest bar in Victoria Cross, which will include an additional 255 student beds.
Even with the increase, UCC's accommodation "remains significantly below" the cost of privately-owned student accommodation in Cork city, the spokesman added.
Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has criticised the rent increases at Irish third-level institutions. UCC's announcement follows similar decisions by UCD, DCU, NUIG, NUIM, UL and TCD.
Mr Ó Laoghaire said: "Many students will now wonder how they can afford to live in Dublin, Cork, Galway, or any of the major cities.
"We recognise that there is a funding crisis for third Level institutions, however, making it harder for low-income students to attend third level is not a solution."
Meanwhile, some 154 new student beds have been granted permission in a 25-apartment structure in Victoria Cross.
The eight-storey private apartment block will be constructed at the former Kelleher's Tyre Service Centre, close to UCC.
