An initiative that gives students in Cork the option of living in alcohol-free accommodation has so far attracted only three students.

Last month, students at University College Cork (UCC) were invited to apply to live in alcohol-free apartments as part of a pilot scheme on campus. Six apartments were set aside with 36 places available for students.

Gavin Lynch-Frahill, Vice President of Education at UCC Students’ Union, says the alcohol-free accommodation initiative will increase its numbers in the coming months and years.

“It was only launched a month ago so it needs time to get around. I wouldn’t be too worried about it. In UCC we have a lot of people from a lot of different countries. In some communities they don’t drink alcohol for religious or cultural reasons. We were hoping that a lot of these people would take up on it. There is still accommodation available. It is only going to expand in the years to come.”

Students who choose the alcohol-free apartments at Victoria Lodge near UCC are free to consume alcohol as they wish when not on the premises. The scheme will be “self policing.”

Those who are offered places will have to sign a contract agreeing to adhere to the alcohol regulations.

Students can still apply to be considered under the scheme.

A motivating factor for the initiative was a 2010 UCC study on alcohol consumption which indicated that 46 per cent of male and 45 per cent of female students reported binge drinking more than once a week.

The study found that all students who drink alcohol reported at least one negative results, including regrets, adverse effects at college and missing days.

These findings contributed to the development of the UCC Alcohol Action Plan. The plan has put in place a number of distinct strategy areas which include 20 specific action points to be undertaken to help reduce the alcohol related harm amongst students.

Among the action points is the provision of alcohol free housing with the aim to make the campus and the local environment safer from alcohol related harm.