Trinity College Dublin Bursar and Director of Strategic Innovation Professor Eleanor Denny has confirmed that Trinity has taken ownership of Printing House Square.
In an internal email to all faculty, students and staff, Professor Denny announced that the building would be ready for occupation by November 1st.
Printing House Square will provide 249 students with “state-of-the-art” on-campus accommodation,
The building will also house the new health centre, a disability centre, sporting facilities and provide the campus with a “new, modern square.”
The 13,800 square metre accommodation block will consist of five above ground and three below ground floors, and will provide a new entrance to College campus from Pearse Street.
Three room types will be available in Printing House Square costing between €245 and €270 per week. These rates mean that the new accommodation will be some of the most expensive on campus.
As previously reported in The University Times, the €52 million construction project for Printing House Square had been “dogged by delays”. Reports of contract disputes and pandemic-related “slippages” continually delayed the completion date of the building.
A confidential memorandum circulated to College Board members in March of this year and seen by this newspaper indicated that those overseeing the project were doubtful that the deadline of March 31st would be met, as “there is still a considerable amount of work to be done in multiple areas by multiple trades”.
This announcement also comes after the student walk out protest last week, organised by Union of Students in Ireland (USI) in response to the accommodation crisis affecting students across Ireland.
High costs of rent and accommodation shortages in Dublin and across Ireland have provided significant difficulties for students looking for accommodation.
Speaking at the protest, Senior Tutor Stephen Smith said, “It’s not a good situation … How can you learn if you’re hungry? How can you learn if you’re broke? How can you learn if you don’t have a place to sleep at night?”. These sentiments were echoed at campuses around Dublin and the country.
The protest has been in the works since August but gained urgency when Budget 2023 was announced in late September, which has left many students and officials within the further and higher education sector disappointed. “Budget 2023 was a joke”, said USI President Beth O’Reilly. “Third-level education should be open and accessible to all.”
Professor Denny praised the “extraordinary efforts” of those involved, thanking them for their contribution to the accommodation block’s completion.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One in August, Provost Linda Doyle described these extra housing places as “a drop in the ocean” in regard to the widespread accommodation crisis facing students at Trinity.
