Housing costs the prime concern for workers in Dublin

The cost of housing is the primary concern for workers in Dublin, according to a new survey that shows employees are also worried about high levels of personal taxation, childcare fees and congestion.

The study of nearly 300 companies, which was undertaken by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, found that almost half of all complaints heard from staff related to either the cost or availability of housing.

Some 33 per cent of the firms surveyed identified the cost of housing as the biggest concern for employees, with a further 14 per cent expressing worry about availability.

"The survey shows that the housing shortage is being felt across the entire social spectrum. While much of the focus remains on the homelessness issue, the lack of affordable housing is now a big problem for workers in Dublin," said Dublin Chamber chief executive Mary Rose Burke.

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“An adequate supply of housing is crucial to the health of the economy, but a lack of building over the past decade has left a major shortfall in Dublin’s housing stock.”

Housing crisis

“These results highlight the need for the Government to show urgency in its response to the housing crisis. Dublin is always seeking to attract foreign direct investment and broaden its talent pool, but at the moment we are struggling to accommodate domestic demand. This will hamper business prospects if it is not properly addressed with an ambitious expansion in housing capacity,” she added.

Personal taxation ranked as the second most important concern, with almost one in four businesses reporting it as the biggest pressure on their employees.

Childcare costs and congestion also ranked highly as issues, as did the cost of transport.