At a meeting of Cork City Council last night, two motions were passed expressing the council’s opposition to rent hikes in student accommodation operated by University College Cork (UCC).
The first motion stated that Cork City Council would “write to the governing body of UCC to register our disagreement with the proposed rent increases in student accommodation, to express our support of the students who are currently protesting in the quad, and to ask that the decision to increase student rents in student accommodation is reversed”.
A protest was started in UCC on the 3rd of March against when a 3% raise in rent on student accommodation was announced. University College Cork Students’ Union (UCCSU) has pledged to occupy the university quad until the rent increase is reversed. The protest is working on a rotational basis, with approximately 80 overall having set up to sleep in tents on the quad in a rotating schedule. A petition started by UCC students has also reached over 7,770 signatures as of this afternoon.
The second motion passed by Cork City Council last night also pledges support to UCCSU and states that “affordability must be the basis of student accommodation, not profit”.
UCCSU joins other student unions across the country in protest against rent hikes in student accommodation in rent weeks.
Trinity College Dublin’s Student Union (TCDSU) and Cut the Rent TCD have been working to oppose the proposed 4% increase in Trinity accommodation that would come into effect in September.
Two protests on campus have seen students block front arch. TCDSU are currently calling for a “rent freeze”.
