The Workers’ Party has criticised government plans to incentivise the development purpose-built “shared living” rental accommodation for young professionals, as announced today (Friday) by Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy.

Responding to the announcement, Cllr. Éilis Ryan (Workers’ Party, North Inner City) said:

“It is offensive to suggest that young people should no longer assume they have the right to a secure home. And this is what Minister Murphy is effectively doing.

“The “shared living” arrangement which he is suggesting as a route towards increasing housing for young people, would mean fully grown adults sharing kitchens and living rooms with dozens of other people. This may be an arrangement some choose, but it is not anybody’s definition of a home.”

Cllr. Ryan also pointed out how expensive the proposed ‘co-living’ arrangements are elsewhere, saying:

“Minister Murphy pointed to ‘the collective’ in London as an example to be replicated. But rents at ‘the collective’ start at over €900 a month, for less space, autonomy and rights than traditional rental accommodation.

“Even by London’s standards, this is far from affordable. So why is the Minister telling us it will be affordable here?”

Cllr. Ryan concluded that, yet again, the government is doing everything within its power to avoid building public housing, saying:
“This ‘co-living’ proposal is transparently driven by the interests of developers. Who else other than a developer benefits from squeezing more adults into the one living space?

“It is laughable that the Minister expects us to believe that such ridiculous arrangements are more likely to provide decent homes for young people than the obvious solution – building public housing.”