Sir, – It was dismaying but not surprising to see the RTÉ investigative report last Thursday (December 3rd) on overcrowded living spaces.
For international students, this is a familiar reality of living in Ireland.
The Irish Council for International Students conducted a survey in April 2020 of 1,626 students from overseas which at the time revealed the concerns that many students had about their precarious living conditions in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Worryingly, 46 per of English-language students reported sharing a room with three or more people, while 11 per cent of respondents shared with six or more people.
Only 10 per cent of English-language students reported having a room to themselves.
Quality needs to be enforced for all accommodation in the State, starting with urgent legislative reform.
The overcrowding situation in some rented accommodation is not only a matter of public health but a matter of human dignity. – Yours, etc,
LAURA HARMON,
Executive Director,
Irish Council
for International
Students,
Morehampton Road,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.