Minister alerted to accommodation crisis at Mayo university

Fresh concerns have been raised over the future of the Atlantic Technological University's Mayo campus in Castlebar.

Members of the Students Union at the facility have raised the issue with Mayo TD Rose Conway-Walsh.

The Erris-based representative outlined: "I met with the students union. There is no accommodation.

"There is not even any accommodation in the pipeline for the campus.

"The student accommodation that was there is being repurposed.

"Where university towns have potential but there is no accommodation, the university cannot expand in the way it needs to.

"We need a change of thinking here. Student accommodation has to be an integral part of third level education and it has to be an investment.

"We need the investment. The effect of not having enough student accommodation on young people's mental health is huge.

"I am also acutely aware of the wider accommodation crisis and the cost of living for families.

"We see electricity bills and every other bill going up. The impact of having to look for student accommodation in the first place and then not finding any that is affordable is huge.

"It is putting huge pressure on families and students and is limiting their life opportunities.

"Students are making decisions based on where they can afford to live and that is not right."

The Minister for Higher Education James Lawless recently sanctioned the purchase of 16 acres by ATU in Sligo and this will come on stream in due course.

He told Deputy Conway-Walsh he will come back to her on the details of the situation in Mayo.