HarperCollins Ireland acquires 'essential and timely' book on housing crisis by Hearne

HarperCollins Ireland has acquired an “essential and timely” book on Ireland’s housing crisis by policy expert Rory Hearne. 

Catherine Gough, commissioning editor, bought world all language rights for Gaffs directly from the author. It will be published on 29th September. 

The synopsis says: “Housing is the most pressing issue in Ireland and is set to dominate media and political discourse for a long time to come. Millennials are the first generation to be worse off than their parents. Trapped in a game of rental roulette, stuck living at home as adults, and thousands (including families and children) either in homelessness or on the brink of it, the Irish housing crisis has defined the lives of an entire generation – and it is set to continue.” 

Hearne is assistant professor of social policy at Maynooth University, a regular commentator on TV and radio, and a policy expert in the area of housing. He urges readers to think about the people behind the statistics, and offers solutions to the problems and a way towards a future where everyone has access to a home. 

He said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to publish this book with HarperCollins Ireland, which shines a light on the untold story of Ireland’s housing disaster: how we ended up here and how it impacts all of society, destroying the dreams and aspirations of a generation. Most of all, I want this book to give hope to all those currently locked out of a secure, affordable home of their own, because with the right policies, we can solve this crisis. I hope my book is a catalyst for real change and puts ‘home’ central to our housing debate.” 

Gough added: “I have long admired Rory’s ability to speak so passionately and articulately about the housing crisis in Ireland, so I’m proud to be working with him to publish this essential and timely book. The housing crisis can often be reduced to figures and percentages, but in Gaffs Rory has also managed to capture the unquantifiable: he puts a face to the crisis and reminds us that behind the statistics are people looking for homes. It is a powerful book about the defining moment of a generation.”