Further proof that being employed does not equate to freedom in modern-day Ireland.

According to a new EU study conducted by Eurofound, 40% of all working people in Ireland aged between 25 and 34, still live at home with their parents. The report more broadly focussed on the housing crisis across Europe, and the author explicitly commented that “employment alone is not a sure-fire way to gain independence”.

The most recent data is taken from 2022 and shows a concerning contrast from the 2017 data which demonstrated that 27% of Irish people aged 25-34 and in employment were living with their parents. Furthermore, over the past two years, Ireland has seen it’s housing crisis worsen so it’s unlikely this figure has improved.

So why is this happening? The answer is simple: housing. Since 2013, rents in Ireland have doubled – the largest increase across the EU. Eurofound pointed to this increase as the main factor in preventing employed young people from being able to live independently.

This is a striking difference from Nordic countries such as Finland and Sweden, where just 2% of working people aged 25-34 live with their parents.

The report also found that young Irish people were the most likely to have plans to emigrate, if circumstances were ideal elsewhere. This mirrors a separate 2023 survey which found that 35% of young Irish people were planning to leave within three years, and a further 26% would like to leave within three years.

As we see rents continuing to rise, and wages of first-jobs don’t even cover the basics of living in Dublin in particular, can we really blame Ireland’s youth for looking for hope elsewhere?

Elsewhere on District: Somewhere to live, but at what cost?