Students at University College Cork seeking food parcels have been turned away from a university food bank as supplies ran out in 50 minutes.
The Students' Union in UCC operate the weekly food bank which distributes non-perishable food items as well as hygiene products.
UCCSU Communications and Engagement Officer, Maeve Richardson, explains why it was set up:
"We just found so many students were coming to us explaining to us that they were experiencing financial hardship to the point where they were experiencing food insecurity.
"We wanted to do something to ensure these students were being fed. We helped them apply for the student hardship fund, we have Covid emergency funds. We were also able to refer them to counselling and student health.
"But the fact is that this is mostly down to financial hardship due to high rents, college fees and due to just the pressures of returning to campus post-Covid."
There are students starving in UCC and all over Ireland. This is the reality of having the highest colleges fees in the EU and increasing rents.
Please keep donating to our food bank. pic.twitter.com/z17rBGvrXY— Sinéad Roche (@UCCSUEngagement) October 6, 2021
Student leaders are now appealing for immediate government support to assist those experiencing financial instability while in college.
The Union of Students in Ireland wants the government to reduce the overall cost of going to college, including reducing fees, building purpose built student accommodation and investing in support services.
USI President, Claire Austick, says many students can't fully experience college because of financial difficulties:
"When we talk about access to education it's not just entry through the doors it's about progression, its about being able to engage fully and meaningfully in the class, but many students can't do that because they're working part time jobs or because they're worried about the financial difficulties that they're in."
