THE FRENCH Embassy in Ireland has warned those considering moving to Ireland that the country is experiencing "severe housing crisis."
In a note on the official website, it advises that "new arrivals (including students) face significant difficulties in finding accommodation."
"The strong demand and the saturation of the rental market have led to a sharp increase in rents , which are currently much more expensive than in Paris, including shared accommodation. It is therefore advisable for people planning to settle in Ireland to allow sufficient time for this search for accommodation (which can take several weeks)."
The embassy also warns people to be vigilant in the face of the risk of scams on various accommodation sites, and that many rental properties prohibit pets.
The post on the site was highlighted by the President of the Union of Students in Ireland, Beth O'Reilly, on Twitter, who said that international students "have been misled on the availability in student accommodation in Ireland."
"Colleges and the Department of Higher Ed. are more than happy to keep international students in the dark as they are the primary money maker in the sector - allowing colleges to profit and the government continue overfunding our universities and colleges," she said.
"Up until a few weeks ago, the Education In Ireland site displayed hugely outdated information on the cost of living in Ireland - saying rent was €425 per month for students. When we brought this up as an issue the figures on the page were deleted - not updated.
"Our international students deserve the full story before they choose to study in Ireland. They should be aware of all of the costs associated with studying here, as well as the abysmal accommodation situation."
She finished by saying she would be reaching out to more embassies in the coming weeks to encourage them to display similar warnings on their sites.
"Hopefully more will follow suit in helping to educate students on the accommodation crisis."
