Nearly two-thirds of businesses located in Dublin have been crippled by the urban housing crisis, losing out on both prospective and existing employees, as revealed in recent research. The issue appears to be impacting staff recruitment and retention capabilities, with approximately 200 businesses, or about 62 per cent of those who participated in the Dublin Chamber’s recent Business Outlook investigation, acknowledging this impact.
The survey disclosed that almost one-third (30 per cent) of the businesses needed to offer housing assistance. The gravity of the problem is further evident in additional survey findings; flexible or remote working was recognised as a prime factor for drawing or keeping staff. Moreover, 83 per cent marked an increase in the available housing as a crucial area of attention for the forthcoming budget, outweighing the importance of all other matters.
Aebhric McGibney, the Chamber’s director of public and international affairs, expressed his concern over businesses having to subsidise housing to recruit and retain skilled workers in Dublin. He said, “This shouldn’t be the situation and could jeopardise Dublin’s competitiveness as a suitable locality to develop and expand a business.”
He further emphasised that despite significant government efforts to boost affordable housing construction, the supply was inadequate and failed to meet the demand. He urged the government to reevaluate the effective prohibition on building in certain parts of the Greater Dublin Area. He also suggested the enhancement of local transport options in line with housing and population growth.
A significant number of firms responding to the survey were either from professional and financial services or the IT sector. Neil McDonnell, the CEO of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME), highlighted that sectors like hospitality and nursing homes were increasingly needing to provide housing to attract or retain employees. Many of these accommodations do not get registered, leading to an underestimation of the actual figures.
Numerous individuals, especially those considering international employment visas, express expectations of housing provisions when moving into the country. This has led small businesses to consider providing housing facilities for their employees. Laura Bambrick, who leads social policy and employment affairs at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, indicated the need for more research in this area. She mentioned that although offering such facilities is viewed as regressive by many, the urgent need is to amplify efforts to increase the construction of new homes.
Bambrick voiced valid concerns about the situation of those who obtain a permit, as it binds them to certain obligations with their employers, which if contravened, might lead to the risk of them getting evicted. Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, has confirmed the trend of providing accommodation is now quite prevalent within their sector. Several organizations rent houses, with some even hiring a full-time member of staff to handle rented housing logistics.