Five things to know about Gen Z in Ireland, including housing, drug use and mental health

Tomas Doherty

Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – make up more than 20 per cent of Ireland’s population.

Data released earlier this year by the Central Statistics Office reveals a bit more about this generation of young people who will shape the country in years to come.

The Growing Up in Ireland study tracks the thoughts and experiences of a group of Irish citizens born in 1998, making them 25 years old today.

Here are five things to know from the research.

Most 25-year-olds live at home with their parents

Housing is the biggest concern for this generation. Virtually all of those surveyed (98 per cent) are either somewhat or very concerned about securing housing.

The vast majority still live at home with their parents. This varies from 63.5 per cent of 25-year-olds in the Midland region (Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath) to 82.4 per cent in the commuter counties of Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow.

More than six in 10 (62.4 per cent) of those still living with their parents say it is mostly due to financial reasons.

For those 25-year-olds who do live independently from their parents, most are renting privately.

Only 12 per cent of those living independently are homeowners. Out of the entire cohort of 25-year-olds who took part in the survey, just 3.8 per cent own their own home.

More than one third are having difficulty making ends meet

The study found that 25-year-olds are highly educated and have transitioned smoothly into the workforce. More than 80 per cent are employed and almost three in five (59.5 per cent) have earned a degree or equivalent qualification.

The median weekly salary for the group is €558. Though nearly three-quarters (73.2 per cent) save regularly, more than a third (34.2 per cent) experience some difficulty making ends meet.

Women experience higher levels of economic hardship, according to the study, and have more difficulty making ends meet than men.

A majority don't smoke or vape

Slightly more than half of the 25-year-olds surveyed said they don’t smoke or vape, with almost identical rates between women and men.

Just over one-fifth (21.2 per cent) are smokers, while a similar proportion (21.5%) vape at least monthly. About one in ten both smoke and vape.

Men are more likely to smoke than women (23.6 per cent vs 18.9 per cent), while vaping rates were similar between women (22.1 per cent) and men (20.7 per cent).

The survey also asked the 25-year-olds about their cannabis usage.

Over half (56.6 per cent) said they had tried cannabis once or twice, used to take cannabis, or are current users. One in seven (14.2 per cent) said they are current cannabis users.

Slightly more men (16.1 per cent) than women (12.3 per cent) are current cannabis users.

One in five have used cocaine in the past year

The group of 25-year-olds were also asked about their use of other recreational drugs.

Cocaine was the most popular, with more than a fifth (21.4 per cent) saying they had used it at least once in the year prior to the survey.

This was followed by ecstasy (10.7 per cent), ketamine (9.7 per cent) and magic mushrooms (6.9 per cent).

Cocaine usage was more common for men (24.3 per cent) than for women (18.6 per cent).

Almost six in 10 (58.9 per cent) said they had not taken any “non-prescription drugs” in the last year.

Young women are more likely to have been diagnosed with depression

The 25-year-olds were asked if they had ever been diagnosed with depression or anxiety by a doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist.

A quarter said they had been been diagnosed with depression or anxiety compared with 58.6 per cent without such a diagnosis.

There is a notable difference between men and women – more than a third (31.5 per cent) of women reported a depression or anxiety diagnosis compared with less than two in 10 (18.3 per cent) of men.