[…]said: “The timing of this action is pertinent as we approach International Women’s Day 2020. It’s so important that we continue to have these conversations and talk about inequalities in our society that persist due to a culture of sexual violence mostly levelled at […]
[…]landlords who meet standards legislation can claim rent-a-room tax relief and setting a definition for ‘affordable student accommodation’ are just two of the recommendations made in the Union of Students in Ireland’s submission to the Review of the Private Residential Sector. In its submission, USI says that the serious issues with student accommodation are critically and negatively affecting the student experience in Ireland. These issues include the failure of the current National Student Accommodation Strategy, the complete lack of rights for those living in digs or rent-a-room situations and the heavy reliance on the private sector which has not met […]
[…]on the union’s Education For All campaign. Students are calling for an end to the €3,000 Student Contribution Charge – the highest fee for an undergraduate degree in the EU and urgent action on student accommodation issues, as well as other areas blocking access to higher education in Ireland. The island-wide day of action is also calling for an end to tuition fees in Northern Ireland, which are also among the highest in Europe and an overhaul of student supports for students who need them. Almost 500 students have registered to take part in the USI virtual protest on Zoom […]
[…]pandemic, when deposits and prepaid rent were not returned. Many students were also left owing money for accommodation they could not use, and others were evicted from digs and rooms without notice. USI President, Lorna Fitzpatrick said: “When campuses were closed in March, students were left in very difficult circumstances and a lot were left out of pocket by hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of euro. We have been calling for clarity on what the new academic year will look like and in many cases that has still not been confirmed. We have been telling students to hold off […]
[…]exploration of moving to automatic voter registration USI directly registered nearly 28,000 students to vote ahead of the marriage equality referendum and handed out tens of thousands more forms. As a result, the organisation has developed an in-depth analysis of problems inside the current system for the registration of voters – and ways to fix them. USI President, Laura Harmon, said: ‘Being registered to vote is essential for citizens to fully participate in our democracy. Registering should be a simple and efficient process. However, the current system in Ireland is outdated, arduous and unnecessarily complicated. There are many practical changes […]
