IT’S VERY DIFFICULT for a single, young person to get on the property ladder. I had hopes of finding a place of my own in Dublin but the prices of apartments are as high as family homes.

I’m very independent and it kills me to say that buying in Dublin would only be an option if I had a partner, and if they were willing to invest, but there’s isn’t much hope of doing it alone.

When I moved here three and a half years ago, I gave up my car in order to save for a deposit.

There was no way I was going to be able to afford renting in Dublin, run a car (and pay for parking everywhere) and save.

Last week the Taoiseach made comments about people raising deposits by going abroad to earn money or getting money from their parents but not everyone’s father is a doctor.

It’s not what parents do for their children, it’s what they teach them and my parents have always taught me to be independent.

It’s also not fair to put this pressure on parents. I have two siblings so if my parents were to give me money for a deposit, they’d also have to give my two siblings their deposits.

It’s unfair and unrealistic to put parents under that pressure. They’ve already raised us and often help with university.

‘Living at home not possible’

The Taoiseach is only thinking of the options he had when he was a first time buyer.

My father is a farmer. He often says we can build a house on the land but unfortunately, there are not so many career opportunities for me in my home area.

Another popular suggestion is to move in with your parents when saving for a deposit but commuting 230km to and 230km from work is not realistic for me.

My home house is nowhere near my workplace and I’m certainly not the only person living in Dublin, who doesn’t have the option of moving in with their parents.

As for Varadkar’s comment on going abroad for a period to get money, why is he telling Irish people to leave the country? I’m happy to stay and work here for an Irish company, surely this is what young people in Ireland should be encouraged to do.

To move abroad is nearly expected of me but Ireland is out of the recession, there are opportunities here and the government should be making life affordable to live and more attractive for young Irish people to settle in this country.

Niamh Baker  is originally from Clare but moved to Dublin in September 2014 for better career opportunities. She is currently working in advertising and plans to stay in the country’s capital for the foreseeable future.