For over a year and a half, I have been part of a growing group of residents in Dublin who are tirelessly searching for a home. Every day, we’re confronted with the harsh reality of an out-of-control housing market where the dream of owning a home is slipping further and further out of reach. It’s a battle many of us are losing, and it’s time for this injustice to end.

Like countless others, I’ve stood in the cold, waiting in line overnight for house viewings, only to find that the prices have been jacked up by an extra 4% - 5% — sometimes every couple of months. The developers, big and powerful, have been inflating prices at will, exploiting hardworking families, individuals, and immigrants like myself who simply want a fair shot at homeownership.

The situation is untenable. In Dublin and across Ireland, the price of even a modest home is now around and often above €500,000. For a three-bedroom house, that’s becoming the norm, but it’s not just Dublin—this issue is spreading across the country, from Cork to Limerick to Galway, where families are faced with impossible price tags for homes that aren’t even worth what they’re asking. How is it fair that the average person, someone working hard to support their family and contribute to the economy, can’t afford a home without going into debt for 30 or more years?

Government incentives like the Help to Buy scheme—€30,000—are little more than a drop in the ocean when prices keep rising. Even if the government increases the HTB limit to €550,000 or higher, the only result will be more price hikes by developers. We need a solution that stops this cycle.

What are we actually getting for our money? The price of a 2-bedroom apartment in Dublin is now easily over €400,000, and for a 3-bedroom home, expect to pay €500,000 or more. For a 4-bedroom house, prices regularly exceed €560,000 and can go up to €600,000 or beyond. These are not luxury homes or prime properties—these are homes that most people can only dream of affording.

This isn’t just a Dublin issue. It’s a nationwide crisis. Families in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and all across Ireland are facing the same struggles. Prices are soaring while the size and quality of the homes are shrinking, making it impossible for everyday people to keep up.

The developers are thriving, selling homes left and right, but at what cost to the people who are forced to pay these inflated prices? Where is the customer care, where is the consideration for people’s lives? The truth is, there isn’t any. It’s become clear that the system is rigged, and it's time for it to change.

We, the people—citizens, residents, immigrants—everyone who calls Ireland home and contributes to its economy, need to demand that the Irish government take action. The government must step in and regulate these price hikes to prevent the exploitation of hardworking people. We need a cap on house prices. We need developers to be held accountable for their actions. Most importantly, we need to ensure that the dream of owning a home is still possible for everyone.

We cannot sit idly by while developers continue to inflate the market for their own gain. It’s time for us to stand up and be heard. This is our Ireland. We deserve better. We deserve homes that are reasonably priced, livable, and real.

Please join us in urging the Irish Government to act now. Sign this petition and make your voice heard in the fight for fair housing for all.

Key Deliverables We Demand from the Government:

1. Implement a Cap on House Prices: Enforce price control measures to prevent developers from inflating property prices beyond reasonable levels.
2. Increase Transparency in Pricing: Ensure developers provide clear breakdowns of pricing, including justification for price increases.
3. Hold Developers Accountable: Establish stricter regulations and penalties for exploitative practices that prioritize profit over people.
4. Expand Support for First-Time Buyers: Provide more effective schemes that directly address the rising prices rather than fueling further increases.
5. Promote Construction of Reasonably Priced Homes: Incentivize building homes that are within reach for the average worker and family.
6. Introduce Rental Controls and Protections: Ensure rental markets are not similarly exploited, further pushing people out of homeownership opportunities.

Together, we can make a change