This accommodation suggestion is a little out there, but it just might work.
The accommodation crisis in Ireland has been the subject of a lot of discussion this week.
The release of the most recent Daft.ie rent report on Tuesday revealed how availability and the price of rent are a huge cause for concern, while UCD Students’ Union have helped uncover the difficulties students are experiencing when searching for suitable accommodation in the capital.
The situation isn’t much better in Galway and with the return of another college year just around the corner, Winters Property is proposing bringing two barges into Galway harbour, which could potentially house over 400 students.
According to Galway Bay FM, Winters Property is in talks with Bibby Maritime to bring two barges to Galway, the Bibby Stockholm (which has 222 en suite bedrooms) and the Bibby Bergen (which has 180 en-suite bedrooms and a courtyard).
The proposal is just that – a proposal – for now and there would be quite a bit of administrative obstacles that would need to be hurdled, but, if the accommodation was found suitable, Enda McGuane, Managing Director of Winters Property, told FYI Galway on Galway Bay FM that accommodation could be made available within three weeks.
Earlier this week, McGuane offered advice to students and concerned parents regarding accommodation options for first-year college students, urging them not to panic.
“There will be an initial frenzy in August and September, which will settle down in approximately eight weeks as people move around or into alternative accommodation,” McGuane said.
“Students have worked hard to get a specific course which will probably take three to four years to complete. In time, accommodation options will open up but there is always be a bottleneck during these months. Keep in touch with the accommodation office in your chosen college for advice and assistance.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
