A Brazilian man living in Cork has said he is reconsidering his future in Ireland because of the nightmare housing situation he has found himself in. 

Jao Campos recently graduated and found himself a job working as an engineer in the Rebel County. 

The cost of renting in Cork, much like the rest of the country, has surged in recent years and Mr Campos and his girlfriend have struggled to find somewhere affordable. 

The River Lee in Cork. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

The pair eventually found themselves a room in a house share where they pay €1175 between them for a room - with gas and electric bills excluded. 

Seven other people live in the house, all but one of whom is from Brazil, and none of them have their own room. 

“The price is so expensive, one of the rooms is too small,” Mr Campos told Red FM.  

“They have three guys in the same room - it’s very, very small.”

With so many people living in such a small space, the house’s boiler often cannot cope with demand. 

“I have one problem here which is the boiler,” he said. 

“Because nine people need to take a shower but the boiler is not for nine people.

“Sometimes one, two, three showers are hot and other people need to take a shower cold.” 

A worker fixing a gas heating boiler. Image: ronstik/Alamy

Eating is another issue; the housemates have had to buy their own mini fridges to store food and they have to message each other to ensure the kitchen is free beforehand. 

“Everybody here in the house needs to talk beforehand,” he said

“[They say], ‘I will cook around six.’ ‘Okay, I will cook around seven.’”

A city in crisis

Mr Campos said such severe overcrowding is “common” in Cork and he has heard of people who have to endure worse. 

“Last year, I was looking for other places,” he said. 

“I didn't live here; I lived in another house and I saw in WhatsApp one house with 14 people, 14 students, in the same house.”

Despite this, Mr Campos believes he is gaining worthwhile opportunities and experiences while working in Ireland. 

“It’s so important for Brazilians to improve themselves,” he said. 

“Ireland is good for improving your English and working here too is good.” 

Cork city. Picture by: Peter Zoeller/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire. 

Still, he does have moments when he thinks about returning to Brazil. 

“Sometimes I think I will go back to Brazil,” he said. 

“My parents said to me, ‘No, you need to stay there because it’s good for your life.’”

In 2022, there were 27,338 people in Ireland who recorded in the census that their nationality was Brazilian.

Main image: Bunk beds. Picture by: Dean Moriarty from Pixabay.