Third-level students have been 'left behind' in discussions on the accommodation crisis.
That is according to President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), Beth O'Reilly.
She was speaking as thousands are planning walkouts from lectures in protest at the shortage of accommodation and cost of living crisis.
They are set to protest across the country at 11.11am.
'Once-off reduction'
Ms O'Reilly told Newstalk Breakfast more needs to be done.
"We do feel like we are a cohort that has been left behind in a lot of the discussions on the accommodation crisis.
"One of the biggest impacts in terms of finances on students is the cost of college.
"It's €3,000 fees, which we do have a once-off reduction in this year, but it is only for a certain cohort of students.
"It is only for students who avail of the Free Fees Scheme... international students won't receive a reduction, post-graduate students won't receive the €1,000 reduction.
"Anybody who's completing their second degree, or who has enrolled in a degree course before, won't receive it."
She said: "It isn't just a cost of living crisis issue; it's been an issue for a very long time now, and it should have been a permanent reduction that we saw in Budget 2023."
'Increase in deferrals'
On accomodation, she said this year is particularly acute.
"Most years the accommodation crisis is highlighted during the summer months...but come September and October, places start getting freed up.
"We're still seeing so many students that have not secured accommodation yet; and there was a huge increase in the amount of deferrals as a result of students not being able to find accomodation this year.
"We really needed to see specific, targeted measures in Budget 2023 that dealt with the student accommodation crisis, and there was absolutely nothing there for student renters."
She said a public fund should be set up for colleges to build affordable student accommodation.
"The cost of building has gotten so high that colleges are kind of just steering away from building student accommodation - they don't feel like it's worth it - and as a result we have a huge shortage of beds."
She said there is a shortage expected of "about 20,000 beds for students" by 2024.
