19-05-2025
Tommy Bowe's comments on housing leave Ireland AM co-hosts in shock
Tommy Bowe had his Ireland AM co-hosts irked on Monday morning following his comments on the housing crisis prevalent in Ireland.
The issue came up during a segment where the trio were looking at paper headlines, with one story revealing that the average rent in the first quarter of 2025 was €2,053 per month.
Tommy noted that there weren't enough houses being built, adding 'when the demand is there the prices are going to go up.' Tommy Bowe had his Ireland AM co-hosts irked on Monday morning following his comments on the accommodation crisis prevalent in Ireland. Pic: Ireland AM/ Instagram
Muireann attempted to intercept the Monaghan native a number of times and eventually got the chance to have her say, wondering what the point was if the houses were just going to end up going onto AirBnB.
'Lads, on my road there's places where nurses used to live in like four houses,' she told Tommy and Alan, 'They're all AirBnBs now.'
'That's all demand,' Tommy pointed out, noting that the houses weren't empty. Tommy Bowe and Muireann O'Connell at the Gradaim RTS Ireland 2025 hosted by Virgin Media Television at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy Photography
'They're servicing tourists because they're making way more money rather than the nurses who have this tiny pot to pay for rent,' Muireann raged.
Tommy was still stuck with his stance, noting: 'If they build more houses they'll be able to house the nurses and house the tourists.'
Later in the show the topic was broached again with a message from a viewer detailing how students were paying high rents and told to go home during the weekends so tourists could move in. Alan added that the landlords should be 'called out,' as he noted it was 'absolutely disgraceful.' Pic: Brian McEvoy
'The students are probably going home on the weekend, the house is empty?' Tommy reasoned, leaving Muireann and Alan dumbfounded.
'Oh the look on the two of you,' he laughed.
'There's no hotel rooms so where are the tourists meant to go?' the former rugby international questioned.
'Tommy, you're asking these people to leave their rooms!' Alan raged, while Muireann added that he was 'winding' her up.
Alan added that the landlords should be 'called out,' as he noted it was 'absolutely disgraceful.'
