346 Irish Students Homeless in 2024/25; Housing Crisis Impacts Universities
At least 346 Irish students reported homelessness in the 2024/25 academic year, a figure likely underestimated due to data collection gaps. This highlights the severe impact of the housing crisis on higher education. The government plans to add 42,000 student beds by 2035, but relies heavily on private funding.
At least 346 students in Ireland reported being homeless to their higher education institutions during the 2024/25 academic year, according to data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. This figure is likely an underestimate, as many large universities do not track homeless students, and the data relies on voluntary disclosure, often missing hidden homelessness like couch-surfing.
Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne called the numbers «scandalous and heartbreaking,» noting students are sleeping in tents and cars. Seven institutions, including University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin, could not provide data due to a lack of centralized collection. These include four Dublin-based institutions where the housing crisis is most severe.
Specific figures include Technological University Dublin (TUD) with 54 reported homeless students in 2024/25, Atlantic Technological University (ATU) with 97, South East Technological University (SETU) with 37, and Munster Technological University (MTU) with 92. The University of Galway reported 33 homeless students, with 47 more facing imminent loss of temporary accommodation. Maynooth University identified 21 students experiencing homelessness or instability.
The government's National Student Accommodation Strategy 2026-2035, published in March, aims to deliver 42,000 additional student beds over the next decade to address a current deficit of 15,000 beds. However, it states that state funding is insufficient, requiring private sector investment and an increased focus on rent-a-room schemes, which are projected to provide 10,000 of the new beds. Technological universities are highlighted for further development, with SETU currently being the only one with on-campus purpose-built accommodation (426 beds).