People are homeless, living in tents and there is a dire shortage of accommodation for students – according to a community activist in Thurles.
Ciara McCormack has welcomed the new University status for LIT, with campuses in Clonmel and Thurles, but has criticised the lack of planning for housing.
She took to social media to vent her frustration, saying that more than 100 students are on the hunt for accommodation.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier, she said that the state of housing is only set to get worse.
“We have people in homeless situations, we have people living in derelict buildings, we have a person in a tent.
“There’s just not enough accommodation and it’s worrying you know.
“I just think it’s a bigger problem and the fact that the influx of students has highlighted the current housing and policy around housing and housing support doesn’t work.
“It’s leaving people very vulnerable and we don’t want Thurles to be just a University town, we want it to be a first choice University town.”
Ciara posted the following on Facebook:
“The big announcement of university status without the proper investment in housing is creating an absolute disaster for the town of Thurles in the sense of accommodation.
“Over 100 students looking for accommodation along with those who are facing evictions, homeless, at risk of being homeless or living in substandard accommodation.
“We don’t have the accommodation and it is those most in need who will be left out in the cold as usual. But sure once the auld clap on the back is given for the big announcement what about it.”
