As three in five under-25s consider leaving the country, we must act to help young people

Young people's needs are continually neglected even though they are disproportionately impacted by the housing crisis, writes Kathryn Walsh

Three in five under 25s are considering emigrating due to the housing crisis and high  cost of living.

Next week the Dáil and Seanad return after the summer recess. Less than three weeks after that the minister for finance will stand up and deliver Budget 2026. In the usual pre-budget furore, ministers and backbenchers will begin to fly kites and we will start to see some shape on what will be announced. Against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis, much will be made of easing the burden on hard-pressed families and businesses. We have seen it already from the party think-ins. But one group continually neglected is young people.

Young people in Ireland today face a complex web of challenges, from housing insecurity and income inequality to mental health struggles and barriers to education and mobility. However, political discourse often oversimplifies youth issues, focusing purely on youth emigration and references to insurmountable challenges buying houses. Both these issues are real and pressing. 

This is underscored by today’s poll by RED C for the National Youth Council of Ireland which showed that three in five under 25s are considering emigrating and that there is widespread consensus that housing (64%) and the cost of living (70%) disproportionately affects young people. But very little is being done to offset the root causes of these issues for young people.

It is more critical than ever to support young people. They are not only navigating rising costs in housing, education, and daily essentials, but also confronting a future that feels increasingly out of reach. Over eight in ten 18 to 24 year olds say they are fearful for the future. 

That’s a powerful and troubling insight. It speaks to more than just economic strain; it reflects a loss of trust, a lack of opportunity, and a growing sense of exclusion. But the unfortunate reality is that young people often fall victim to patronising tropes of being able to live off “the bank of mum and dad” and that they exist in a bubble outside the cost-of-living crisis that is ravaging Irish society currently.

Ensuring a minimum standard of living is a prerequisite for enabling young people to pursue opportunities in education, increasing their employability and, critically, staying in Ireland if that is what they want.

Young people in Ireland are not a single, homogenous group. They live vastly different lives shaped by social, cultural, economic, and geographic factors. Among them are those grappling with poverty, unemployment, discrimination, displacement, and systemic barriers to education, housing, and work. 

These overlapping challenges don’t just hinder progress, they can lock young people into cycles of exclusion and marginalisation, especially those already furthest from the support they need

The assumption that young people have significant family support to subsidise their income and support them neglects the fact that some marginalised young people such as Travellers, migrants, disabled young people, people living in disadvantaged communities, low income, and LGBTQ+ young people may not have access to the supports from their family needed to live above the poverty line. Without targeted support and acknowledgment of the unique challenges confronting young people, these disadvantages are perpetuated and exacerbated by significant gaps in public policy that fail to address their needs.

Whether it’s tackling the housing crisis and homelessness, improving access to services, ensuring quality education and training pathways, or addressing income adequacy, every policy decision has an impact on the lives of young people. But, to date, simple measures that could be taken to support young people have not been forthcoming. The Irish public can see this too, with four in five disagreeing that the government is doing enough to support young people through cost of living, and only 13% thinking they are doing enough. That’s not just low, it’s a crisis of confidence.

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The recommendation of the Low Pay Commission to abolish sub minimum rates of pay from June 2024 has been ignored, with the Government deferring any decision indefinitely. The minister for social protection Dara Calleary, TD, ruled out equalisation of Jobseeker’s Allowance for under 25s at his Department’s Pre-Budget Forum earlier this year. The Youth Homelessness Strategy ends at the end of 2025 with no sign of a successor strategy, despite 30% more 18-24 year olds in emergency accommodation now than there were when the strategy was launched.

Creating a social and economic environment that supports young people, particularly during vulnerable periods, is essential to their inclusion and long-term wellbeing.

 Politicians lament when young people express intentions to emigrate, but often hand-wringing is not matched by political action to stop this. If we don’t act, we risk deepening the disconnect between young people and the institutions meant to support them. Budget 2026 must be the turning point; it must signal intent to support young people in a meaningful way. Young people are telling us they’re fearful for the future. We need Budget 2026 to restore hope.

Kathryn Walsh is Director of Policy and Advocacy at the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI). The NYCI is the representative body for voluntary youth organisations in Ireland. Its member organisations work with 380,000 young people in every community in Ireland, with the support of 40,000 volunteers and 1,400 paid staff.