by Bernie English
YOUNG people hoping to have babies are putting off that decision because they are renting and struggling to get on the property ladder.
That’s according to Professor Niamh Hourigan, sociologist and vice-president of academic affairs at Mary Immaculate College who was commenting on findings of a report which shows that spiralling rents are leaving younger buyers out of the property market.
The Irish Banking and Payments Federation (IBPF) has warned that younger people being priced out of the housing market could have a deeper and longer-term impact on Irish society, including whether people decide to start a family.
And their concerns are supported by the Limerick professor.
“People are reluctant to start a family when they don’t own their own home,” Prof Hourigan said, adding the rental market in Ireland was insecure compared to other countries where there is more secure rent control and fixity of tenure.
As for the possible impact on higher education for the next generation, she said: “That costs money and you do need to be sure that a certain proportion of income will be available.
“Food, clothing and shelter will always take priority. We could in the long term see an impact there”.
