Young people in Ireland are getting a "raw deal" which is seeing them priced out of the housing market, and facing into a future where they may never own their own homes - a situation that cannot be allowed continue.
This is the view of the Social Democrats’ Galway West candidate Niall Ó Tuathail. Speaking at his recent campaign launch, he said younger generations "have a raw deal starting out in life", but that this can be fixed through public services that reduce the cost of living.
“I’m not saying that our parents’ generation had it easy by any stretch, but there was a clear deal where you got a job or trade, and you would be able to get a house in your twenties and raise a family on one income," he said. "That deal isn’t available to younger generations now where the cost of housing and living has exploded.”
Mr Ó Tuathail said the solution was "public services that chip away at the cost of living", including public health to save on health insurance; public transport that would reduce car dependence, and some of the costs of running a car; building affordable housing to reduce mortgages and rent; and providing affordable childcare.
Mr Ó Tuathail first stood in the 2016 General Election, taking 5.4 per cent of first preference votes (3,455 votes ), and lasting until the 11th count, with a combined total of 5,278 votes, in the process finishing ahead of two TDs and three councillors.
