One in five young people say they're skipping meals because they can't afford to eat.
A report by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), also found 44% of 18 to 29-year-olds said they were financially worse off this year compared to last year, with housing the main area of concern.
Paul Gordon, NYCI director of policy and advocacy, says such a finding should serve as a 'wake up call' to government to address some basic unmet needs for young people.
"Shockingly, one in five young people have skipped meals due to cost.
"Young people’s fear of being worse off than their parents is real, driven by housing challenges and economic precarity.
"More than half live with family, one in two have experienced rent increases in the past year, with some facing rises of up to 30%, and this is pushing aspirations of home ownership further out of reach".
The survey also found half of 18 to 29-year-olds have low levels of mental well-being.
Mr Gordon, says "Despite reporting a strong connection to Irish culture and to their communities, many of this generation feel like their lives are being put on hold and this is manifesting in a very concerning finding that half of 18-29-year-olds have low mental wellbeing".
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)The NYCI is calling for the Government to tackle the issues of housing, low-wages, and reducing college fees.
The council says in the short term, rent caps are needed and more social and affordable housing needs to be built to deal with the housing crisis in the long-term.
It also wants to see college fees reduced for students and better public transport in rural areas to help young people with the rising cost of living.
The NYCI is also calling for sub-minimum wage rates for under 20s to be done away with and for gender inequality to be tackled to address young women’s needs and reduce the gender pay gap.
