The increasing cost of living and ongoing housing crisis across the island of Ireland is causing young people to seek a new life elsewhere.
According to a recent study by Ireland’s Central Statistics Office, a whopping one in eight Irish people aged 25 have emigrated.
The CSO’s ‘Growing Up In Ireland’ survey interviews the same group of people every few years, following them from childhood into adulthood.
Offering an insight into the changing landscape of the island, the study gathers data on the most important issues facing children and young people today.
Mass emigration – why are young people leaving Ireland?
With the new report revealing that almost 12.5% of 25 year olds have emigrated, we’re looking at a few of the reasons why younger generations are choosing to fly the nest.
Speaking to RTÉ News, one young person in Dublin said, “I personally always think about emigrating. I don’t really see a future for me living in Ireland.”
When asked why, she responded, “I don’t know, just the standard of life, even just continental Europe just sounds so much better than the state of the country right now.”
Meanwhile, another young man cited the cost of living as a possible reason for the recent mass emigration, stating, “No one can afford anything in Ireland right now. It’s too expensive.”
Various issues such as the price of rent and not enough housing came up time and time again as major issues facing young people in Ireland.
Where are Ireland’s young people going? – almost 90% plan to live away for at least one year
Almost everyone in Ireland knows someone that has moved abroad in recent months. So, the CSO’s findings that more than one in eight Irish people aged 25 have emigrated comes as no surprise.
The CSO approached 7,870 for interview, 1,001 of whom said they were not living in Ireland. Those living abroad were then invited to complete a short emigration survey and 500 responded.
Of those who responded, more than five in six (84.7%) said they planned to live abroad for 12 months or more.
Location-wise, one-third (35.6%) had emigrated to the United Kingdom and almost half (43.3%) had left Ireland for employment opportunities abroad.
Highest levels of emigration since 2015 – seeking a better quality of life abroad
Statistics from the CSO revealed that an astounding 69,900 people left Ireland from May 2023 to April 2024, marking emigration from Ireland at its highest rate since 2015.
So, why are young people choosing to leave? A recent report from The Irish Times revealed that 68% of people aged 25 to 44 in Ireland still live with their parents, many due to the rising cost and lack of availability of housing.
The report also revealed that 41% of people aged 18 to 33 are either actively planning or strongly considering emigrating.
Around a third of those planning to emigrate are looking at EU countries, but the other 61% are planning to move to a country where English is the first language.
The Irish Times study revealed that 29% are planning to move to Australia and New Zealand, 23% to North America, and only 9% to the UK, perhaps because the climate and current economic situation in the UK is similar to Ireland.
Issues facing young people in Ireland today – housing, mental health, and the cost of living
Young people from Ireland are choosing to move abroad for a multitude of reasons, primarily due to the fact that many can’t afford to live here, despite having third level education.
According to a report by the National Youth Council of Ireland, almost half of young people aged 18 to 29 are “dissatisfied with their current housing situation”.
Similarly, 62% said they were troubled by the rising cost of living, with 7.5% of children in Ireland living in “consistent poverty” in 2022, according to a report by the OECD.
Despite ranking 15th best country in which to be a young person, the study by the National Youth Council also revealed that half of 18 to 29-year-olds in Ireland have low mental well-being.
Do you know anyone who has emigrated from Ireland in recent months? Or maybe you’re planning to move away yourself. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
