Clare students call for lower contribution charge ahead of Budget 2027

Clare third‑level students are urging the government to cut the student contribution charge in the upcoming Budget 2027, citing rising costs of accommodation, groceries, transport and fees.

A West Clare student at Munster Technological University’s Crawford Campus in Cork pays €7,000 for nine months of shared accommodation and describes finding suitable rent in Cork City as “extremely difficult”. She also faces a long weekend commute involving three trains and a bus, which she says can “create a panic” due to its length.

The student highlighted the complexity of applying for the Student Universal Support Grant (SUSI) and the impact of a 15 % public‑transport fare increase on her daily bus travel to campus. She praised a recent MTU walkout on 24 September, organised by Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ), and noted that lecturers understand the pressures students face.

AMLÉ is planning a national demonstration in Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance on 1 October, demanding more publicly funded student accommodation and the abolition of the contribution charge.

An East Clare student at Atlantic Technological University in Galway, who works 16 hours each weekend to cover food and college costs, said she spends €600 a month on hostel accommodation and feels “burnt out”. She called for landlords to consider the price of household essentials.

University of Galway Student Union President Seán de Búrca urged a major increase in higher‑education funding and multi‑annual financing for 80,000 student beds by 2035, warning that rising fuel and transport costs are pricing students out of both accommodation and commuting.

Source: Clare Champion. Photo: 女子 正真 / Pexels.