Ireland is experiencing a significant disparity in home ownership between younger and older generations. Adults under 40 face a homeownership rate of only one-third compared to nearly 80% among those over 40. This gap is among the highest observed across 15 European countries analyzed.
Nonetheless, Ireland demonstrates relatively favorable housing affordability. Households spend an average of one-fifth of their net income on housing, which is lower than in five European states. Additionally, Irish residents have lower rates of spending over 30% of their income on housing compared to other European regions.
Rental support programs in Ireland contribute to lower rent-to-income ratios for renters. However, middle to higher income individuals encounter elevated housing costs compared to their European counterparts.
The challenges faced by younger individuals in Ireland are apparent as they increasingly remain in their family homes. The absence of housing support for middle and high earners contributes to the generational gap in home ownership.
Furthermore, the government’s insufficient expenditure on the housing budget and failure to achieve targets pertaining to affordable homes and social rental constitute pressing concerns.
Housing Gap in Ireland
The pre-existing knowledge highlights that there is a significant gap in home ownership between younger and older people in Ireland. Just a third of adults under the age of 40 are homeowners compared to nearly 80% of those over the age of 40. This gap is one of the highest in western Europe.
Among the 15 European countries included in the research, Ireland ranks second in terms of the disparity in home ownership between the young and the old. This disparity poses challenges for the younger generation, as they face difficulties in entering the housing market and acquiring their own homes.
The high rates of mortgage repayments in Ireland, along with the lack of housing support for middle and high earners, further contribute to this gap. Addressing this housing gap requires innovative solutions and government intervention in terms of affordable housing options and support for aspiring homeowners.
Affordability Challenges
Affordability challenges in the housing market persist for younger individuals in Ireland. While Ireland boasts better average housing affordability compared to many European countries, there are still significant hurdles for the younger generation.
On average, Irish households allocate a fifth of their net income towards housing costs, and only 15% of residents spend more than a third of their income on housing. However, middle to higher income renters in Ireland face higher housing costs compared to their European counterparts. For instance, 14% of renters in the fourth income quintile and 16% in the third income quintile spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
Furthermore, mortgage holders in Ireland dedicate a larger share of their income to mortgage repayments than other European states. These affordability concerns, combined with limited access to housing supports for middle and high earners, contribute to the widening gap in home ownership between older and younger generations in Ireland.
Government and Housing Issues
One of the major issues in the housing sector relates to government policies and capacity constraints.
The Government in Ireland has been underspending on the capital side of the housing budget, resulting in a shortfall of approximately €1 billion. This underspending could have been used to construct around 10,000 social homes.
Furthermore, the Government is not meeting targets for affordable purchase homes or social rental, indicating a lack of proactive measures in addressing the housing crisis.
Capacity restraints within the government need to be addressed in an innovative manner to ensure the effective implementation of housing policies.
Additionally, there is a need to make apprenticeships more attractive, as this could help alleviate the skilled labor shortage in the construction industry.
These challenges highlight the importance of government intervention and strategic planning to address the housing issues faced by younger generations in Ireland.
