About Dessie Ellis

Dessie Ellis TD is a full time public representative for the Constituency of Dublin North West. He is the Sinn Féin National spokesperson on Housing. Dessie is a member of the Oireachtas Communications and Transport Committee and a member of the joint sub-committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. Dessie has been selected by Sinn Féin alongside Cllr. Cathleen Carney Boud to contest the upcoming General elections.

Government and Universities need strategy on student housing – Ellis

DessieEllisSinn Féin TD and Housing Spokesperson Dessie Ellis has called on the government to work more closely with universities and colleges to provide a strategy for housing students. He made his comments as the students prepare to sit their Leaving Cert exams, with the hope of many being to attend a third level college and leave home in the autumn.

Deputy Ellis said:

“This is a problem we face every year and it is a difficult one which requires a tailored approach. Students generally do not need their housing year round, so the private market is poorly equipped to provide for them. The many thousands of students hoping to live in Dublin and other large towns and cities will be putting extra pressure on the rental market and this can lead to higher rents.

“In the context of a wider housing shortage, this could mean an increase in homelessness which is already growing at an alarming rate with 1000 children in emergency accommodation.

“The amount of purpose built student accommodation provided by Universities is very low. The government need to sit down with Universities and draw up a strategy which will support the provision of affordable, secure and adequate student housing which is near to campus or regular transport routes.

“In other European cities, special efforts are made to provide tailored affordable housing for students and Dublin, Cork or Galway should be no different. It is not just about providing for students who need a healthy living environment for successful studies, but also the wider housing shortage which is causing massive suffering for the many low and middle income families.”

Families stuck in rent trap nightmare – Cllr Cathleen Carney Boud

Dublin Sinn Féin city councillor has commented on a recent report by daft.ie, where it illustrates that a 3 bed house to rent in North Dublin City costs €1400 per month.

 Cllr Cathleen Carney Boud said:

 “Roughly, that is €350 a week for rent, then there’s bills to pay, transport costs getting to work, school fees etc. and that’s before you put a dinner on the table!”

For working families it is a huge struggle to keep a roof over their heads. These prices are going to continue to rise until supply meets demand”

We tend to focus on families on rent supplement or mortgage arrears but I have had more and more families who are stuck in the rental trap come to me looking for advice.

It is frustrating that renting is costing more than a mortgage, but it is impossible to save when paying such high rents and the new 20% deposit rule will mean that many families will be renting for most of their lives.

Security of tenancy, rent controls and better regulations must be applied to support long term tenants.”