Empty Homes Ireland - The Numbers Don't Lie

Ireland's Housing Reality Check

160,141+

Empty Homes

13,413+

People Experiencing Homelessness

€2,031+

Average Dublin Rent

I started tracking these numbers because my own rent kept going up. The more I dug into it, the more obvious the problem became. We don't have a housing shortage - we have a housing justice problem.

Housing in the News

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Quick Facts That Made Me Think

12:1

The ratio of empty homes to people experiencing homelessness in Ireland

€600

What teachers in Vienna pay for rent. Irish teachers pay €2,031+

60%

How much Portugal reduced empty homes with a simple vacancy tax

3 years

How long it took Finland to eliminate homelessness completely

Why I Started Tracking This

I'm just a regular person who got fed up with housing costs and decided to look into the numbers. What I found shocked me - we don't have a housing shortage, we have a housing hoarding problem.

Other countries have figured this out. Vienna has affordable housing for teachers, nurses, and regular workers. Finland eliminated homelessness completely. Portugal massively reduced empty properties with smart policies.

If they can do it, why can't we? The data is all here - we just need to look at it honestly and try what actually works.

What Actually Works?

Other countries have figured this out. Here are four proven approaches Ireland could try.

Vacancy Tax

Portugal

60% reduction in empty homes over 3 years

Property owners pay additional tax on homes left vacant for over 12 months. Creates financial incentive to rent or sell rather than leave properties empty.

Source: Portuguese National Statistics Institute

Universal Social Housing

Vienna, Austria

60% of residents in affordable public housing

Government builds quality housing for all income levels - teachers, nurses, and middle-class professionals. Creates genuine choice in the housing market, keeping private rents competitive.

Source: Wiener Wohnen (Vienna Housing Authority)

Housing First Programme

Finland

Rough sleeping eliminated nationwide

Provides permanent housing immediately, then wraparound support services. Reverses traditional approach of requiring sobriety/stability before housing.

Source: Y-Foundation Finland

Regulated Rent Increases

Berlin, Germany

Rent increases limited to inflation + 1-2%

Legal caps on annual rent increases with strong tenant protections. Includes mechanisms to prevent circumvention while maintaining property investment incentives.

Source: Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development

These aren't radical ideas - they're normal policy in most European countries. Ireland is the outlier, not them.