TU Dublin President Dr Deirdre Lillis highlights need for student accommodation

Published: Wednesday 7 October 2026 - 15:40

Four adults stand together outside a grand historic stone building, posing for a group photo. Three women wear colorful suits, while a man wears a dark suit with a blue shirt. The building features large sash windows, stone steps, decorative balustrades, and potted plants. — Dr Brian Murphy, Dr Deirdre Lillis, Professor Maggie Cusack and Sally Anne Sherry

TU Dublin President Dr Deirdre Lillis has highlighted the urgent need for affordable student accommodation as she addressed the Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Dr Lillis joined representatives from other Technological Universities across the country to advocate for increased government support to deliver affordable and accessible housing for students.

Dr Lillis outlined the challenges facing TU Dublin’s more than 28,000 students, noting that the University currently has no on-campus student accommodation and that many students face lengthy daily commutes.

She welcomed the Government’s Student Accommodation Strategy 2026–2035 and outlined TU Dublin’s work with national partners to progress plans for student accommodation at Grangegorman, where studies indicate potential capacity for 1,200–1,400 units.

She also highlighted potential residential development, including student accommodation, at the Tallaght campus, stressing that affordable accommodation and sustainable transport are vital to ensuring students can fully participate in university life.

Read the statement in full.

_{Photo Caption: Dr Brian Murphy, Government and Community Advocacy Lead, TU Dublin, Dr Deirdre Lillis, President of TU Dublin, Professor Maggie Cusack, President of MTU, and Sally Anne Sherry, Director of People and Operations.}