Living and Learning: Thurles students walk out of class as part of national campaign

At 11:11am this morning, students at Mary Immaculate College Thurles walked out of lecture halls as part of a national campaign against the cost of living and education.

MISU Thurles College Officer John White said students can not afford to live and learn and today's walk-out was against a lack of student accommodation, rising fuel costs and food costs.

“We have students who are dropping out of college as they cannot afford to commute, cannot find accommodation, cannot afford to eat while spending a day on campus. This needs to change!

“We need to send a message to the Government that students are the ones paying for this, and it is costing their education! We need to make a change, and it starts now,” said Mr White.

Mr White said people in Thurles have been a great help in offering rooms for students.

However, students are faced with travel, fuel, food and rent costs, and parents can only help so much.

“If a parent has multiple children attending third-level education, how do they support themselves and their child with these rising costs? If a student is studying and working part-time, how do they afford to support themselves on minimum wage in the current climate?” said Mr White.

LATEST: Tipperary Chief Superintendent Derek Smart to return to Limerick

According to the Union for Students in Ireland (USI), who organised the walk-out, 88% of students nationwide worry about money.

They say they expect a shortfall of 20,000 student beds by 2024, and the Government must act.

They are asking the Government to implement a number of measures, including introducing an eviction ban, capping rents and subsidising affordable housing.

The USI are also asking for the Student Contribution charge to be abolished and for minimum wage to match living wages.

On their website, the USI says students are “in the red.”

“We aim to remind college authorities and politicians that students are not a money pit.”