Dessie Ellis TD said the increase will put a strain on the housing market and put rents up.
He made his comments following the release of the latest Daft.ie report on the rental market that found students face serious difficulty in finding affordable accommodation, as rents have risen by 9% this year alone.
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Deputy Ellis said: "This student housing shortage arises in the context of a much wider and severe shortage of affordable rental housing in Dublin and across the state. Rents have gone up by over 35% in Dublin since 2011, while rents outside of the capital have gone up by as much as 10% year on year. The tens of thousands of students in need of rental housing only puts more pressure on the market in this period, raising rents further and exacerbating the homelessness crisis also.
"The government must look at measures to support the provision of student housing, preferably on or near college campuses. It is irresponsible to invite thousands of students to a town or city unable to house them."
(CD)
