Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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694. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has undertaken any analysis of the impact of the housing crisis on youth emigration, given that 94% of students cite accommodation costs as a major burden; and to outline measures being taken to ensure affordability for those under 25. [48782/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, as part of our internal Housing Economics Research Programme and as part of our joint research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), has published a number of research papers on the topics of housing costs and affordability.

Housing Economics Research Papers published by my Department and in our joint research programme with the ESRI are available on our website at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/housing-economics-research-publications/.

Our research to date has not directly examined the impact of housing affordability on youth emigration nor affordability in this specific sector.

The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society, including young people. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, contains a suite of actions that continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens.

Under the Programme for Government published in January 2025, the Government committed to introduce a new, all of government, national housing plan to follow Housing for All. My Department is currently examining that commitment, its implementation and the potential timeframe.

While work is being undertaken to progress a new housing plan, which will build on progress to date, the measures detailed in Housing for All will continue to be progressed to accelerate and increase delivery of secure and affordable housing.

Information on affordable housing supports currently in place is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/0d279-doors-open/.

More information is available at affordablehomes.ie.

To note in relation to student rental accommodation, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has initiatives underway to provide State assistance to stimulate the development of new student accommodation for public higher education institutions. These initiatives, together with changes made by my Department, are aimed at alleviating challenges in the rental sector for students and renters including younger people. For example, the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 extended the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to cover student licenses and tenancies in student-specific accommodation.