A secondary school teacher who was forced to move back in with her parents has questioned who is benefiting from Government first-time buyer schemes.
Aoife Ní Chéileachair was renting the same property for seven years in Arklow, but she was evicted at the end of May.
It comes as research published by the ESRI shows Ireland is in line with its European counterparts when it comes to housing affordability.
The ESRI compared the ratio between a household's income and the amount paid on housing in 15 similar economies across Europe.
It found that, on average, Irish households pay one-fifth of net income on their rent or mortgage - ranking 6th.
Ms Ní Chéileachair told The Pat Kenny Show she has been looking since last October.
"I knew I would be evicted since last October, and I have looked for somewhere else to rent around the vicinity," she said.
"As a single person with a teacher's income - it's not the greatest income in the world, it's not the worst - I couldn't find anywhere that I could afford to rent.
"I looked for small houses, one-bedroom apartments, they just weren't there".
'It just disheartens me'
Ms Ní Chéileachair said she checked availability again today.
"I just took a quick look at Daft this morning - I try not to because it just disheartens me - there's about four properties up for rent in Arklow at the moment.
"The cheapest one being €1,600 a month, which I can't afford".
Ms Ní Chéileachair said she has had to move back in with her parents, who already have a full house.
"There's five adults in a tiny, detached house in Bray at the moment," she said
"My sister just had a baby, so it's really not the best situation for all of us.
"I'm hoping to find somewhere, or at this point I'm thinking of trying to buy a house.
"There's difficulties facing having to buy houses as well, but that's what I'm going to have to do at this point".
'I can't avail of those'
Ms Ní Chéileachair said Government schemes open to her, like the First Home Scheme, are not much help.
"They only pertain to new builds and I think that's something that most people don't know," she said.
"I am not in a financial position to be able to afford a new build, so I can't avail of those schemes.
"I really don't know who those schemes are aimed at".
Ms Ní Chéileachair said she tried to buy an older house she could afford in Enniscorthy before Christmas.
"The bank, who had approved me for a mortgage, said, 'No we actually are not going to support you in buying that house'" she said.
"I had to show up-front funds that I would be able to do up that house, and I don't have that either.
"So I'm not in a position to buy a new build, and I'm not in a position to buy an older house.
"There's this gap in the market".
She said she is currently trying to buy a small council house in Arklow.
"I've got my deposit all ready, that's one of the obstacles that a lot of people face," she said.
"I had the benefit of working for seven years, I'm going into my eighth year teaching, so at least I had a small deposit - but I only need a small house," she added.
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