National Social Monitor: Policies for the Next Generation - Housing

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housing is unaffordable

This section of our National Social Monitor: The Future Starts Now: Policies for the Next Generation looks briefly at housing issues facing young people. 

 

Youth Homelessness

Youth Homelessness continues to be a significant issue in Ireland. Data on the numbers of people accessing emergency accommodation across the State shows an ongoing rise in homelessness for those aged between the ages of 18 and 24. Comparing the figures for a single week in the December of each year, in 2016, 765 people in this age group were recorded as homeless. Whilst dropping slightly in the Covid period, the numbers increased to 1,090 in 2021 and the most recent figures from December 2025 recorded another increase to 2,017 people (Chart 1) As the homelessness data captures just one week in any given month, these figures likely underestimate the true scale of youth homelessness across each year.

Chart 1: Number of young people aged 18-24 accessing emergency accommodation, December of each year, 2016 – 2025

Number of young people aged 18-24 accessing emergency accommodation, December of each year, 2016 – 2025

Source: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Homeless Reports, Various years.

Youth homelessness in Ireland is driven by a combination of structural pressures such as financial instability, job precarity, rising housing costs, limited supply, and insufficient youth-specific housing. The Government has introduced several policies to address homelessness and more specifically youth homelessness. A national Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025 aimed to end youth homelessness through prevention, improved emergency accommodations, and structured supports. This strategy was part of the broader Homelessness Prevention Framework which was designed to provide early intervention and support to reduce homelessness overall. These policies reflect the broader commitment in the EU to end homelessness by 2030. The EU affordable housing plan sets out steps to curb the growth of youth homelessness by supplying more student housing, cutting the need for a security deposit on private student rental properties, and increasing the number of affordable accommodations for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Despite these initiatives, youth homelessness continues to rise.

Without a safe, secure place to live, young people face increased risks of mental health problems as well as limited access to education and employment opportunities. This can trap them in a cycle of disadvantage. Addressing youth homelessness requires coordinated efforts to provide safe housing, support services, and pathways to independence and stability. Intervention and inclusive policies can help prevent homelessness and ensure young people have the chance to thrive and succeed. 

Young People and Home Ownership

The Central Statistics Office note that property prices nationally in August 2025 increased by 171.7 per cent from a low point in 2013 (CSO, 2025). Wages, however, have not kept pace. Between 2012 and 2022, wages increased by 27 per cent, compared to a 75 per cent increase in residential property prices, while rents increased by over 90 per cent (Parliamentary Budget Office, 2023).

Access to all forms of housing has become increasingly difficult, especially for young people. From 2016 to 2022, the number of 18–29-year-olds living in the family home grew from 344,362 to 391,156, an increase of nearly 14 per cent (CSO,2023). Based on estimates from Census 2022 age-band data, around 730,000 people in Ireland were between the ages of 18-29 which suggests that nearly half of this age group were still living in the family home. These figures show that the number of young people living with their parents has continued to increase throughout the years. This trend is shown in Chart 2 and indicates the impact that lack of supply and increased cost is having on the ability of young people to afford independent living. 

Chart 2: Percentage of population aged 18-29 Living at home 2011-2022

Percentage of population aged 18-29 Living at home 2011-2022

Source: CSO Ireland, Table/F3052

The increasing number of young people staying in the family home reflects the broader structural flaws within Ireland’s housing system. A lack of affordable housing, coupled with a lack of support to help young people transition into independent living negatively impacts progress across multiple areas. All this leads to delayed independence, delayed household formation and the knock-on impact on fertility as well as an increased reliance on the precarious private rental sector and the wider implications for mental health and wellbeing. These pressures are made worse by an unequal distribution of wealth in Ireland which is primarily linked to home ownership, which leaves many young people with little chance of owning a home.

Policy Priorities 

  • Increase the supply of affordable, social and cost rental properties aimed at young people providing an alternative to the private rental sector.
  • Strengthen preventative measures for young people at risk of homelessness by increasing support and youth housing services.
  • Convert the Rent Tax Credit into a grant or make it refundable to benefit low-income tenants.
  • Improve pathways out of homelessness for young adults, including long-term secure housing.