The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, has warned that an entire generation of young Irish people has "all but given up the hope of having a home of their own," pointing to the systemic impact of Ireland's ongoing housing shortage.

Delivering a homily at the Grotto in Lourdes, France, during the annual Archdiocese of Dublin pilgrimage, Archbishop Farrell stated that remaining in the family home long past adulthood or emigrating have increasingly become the primary options for young adults. He added that those who do secure housing face "unrelenting financial pressure" from elevated rents and mortgage repayments.

The Archbishop urged churchgoers and the wider public to confront how the severe shortage of accommodation, particularly in Dublin, has become accepted as normal. He highlighted the prevalence of "hidden homelessness," noting the thousands of young adults remaining with family or relying on emergency accommodation.

In his sermon, Archbishop Farrell called on individuals to examine their own roles in perpetuating the crisis. He cited examples such as voting for political platforms that fail to allocate sufficient resources to those in need, holding "silent sympathy" for planning objections, and the assumption that landlords must extract maximum potential rents from tenants.

While acknowledging that increasing housing supply is complex and cannot be accomplished overnight, the Archbishop emphasized that society must break free from the status quo and view the situation as it truly is. The five-day Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes brought approximately 1,500 pilgrims to France, including around 250 young people.