A new survey by Accord, a marriage care group, reveals Ireland’s housing crisis is making couples delay weddings and starting families. Over 8 out of 10 adults blame the crisis, with women (89%) more worried than men (79%).
Young Dreams on Hold
Half of adults aged 25-34 still want to marry or have kids, but 48% say they’d already be married if homes were affordable. Shockingly, 1 in 3 couples postponed weddings for 3+ years! For families, 60% would’ve had kids sooner, with 36% waiting over three years.
“Serious Social Problem”
Tony Shanahan of Accord warned, “This Housing crisis hurts our future.” He urged the government to fix slow housing rules and use empty buildings. “Young people need stable homes to build families,” he added.
Fewer Marriage Prep Courses
Only 5,194 couples took marriage classes in 2024, down from 7,281 in 2023. Experts think housing worries are making couples pause plans.
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