The Political Economy of Housing in Ireland

A decade after the global financial crisis (GFC) commenced in 2008, the Irish housing system remains convulsed by multiple crises. Over 10,000 homeless people are living in emergency accommodation - a figure that has grown continuously over recent years, while housing supply, both of private dwellings and social housing, has plummeted (Byrne and Norris, 2018). The private rental sector, which has grown significantly over the last ten years, has seen average rent increases of 60% in just five years (Nugent, 2018). Despite a seemingly relentless series of new policy initiatives, a great deal of political and media attention and a marked recovery in national and households incomes, the problems in the Irish housing system have not been resolved and, particularly for low income households, have become more acute.