Earlier this week the Department of Housing posted a video to its social media accounts that seems likely to be remembered, decades from now, as a particularly lurid example of the current Government’s failure to deal with an ongoing housing disaster.

The video – produced as part of a campaign with the youth information and support NGO SpunOut – features two young people offering advice to those who have had to move back in with their parents.

“Sharing a home with family members as an adult is very different to doing so as a child,” we are told. “During your time apart, you’ve probably all grown as people, and developed different needs and expectations.” There follows advice about setting up ground rules, paying rent, taking on household chores, taking care of your mental health, and so on.

In itself, the advice given in the video is fairly uncontroversial, and even, in a narrow sense, helpful. (Unsurprisingly, however, given its 80 second-odd running time, none of it is particularly detailed). The two presenters do a perfectly good job, and are motivated by a straightforward interest in helping their fellow young people – and, increasingly, not-so-young people – navigate a profoundly difficult situation.

[ Video advising young people how to move back in with parents is ‘tone deaf’, TD saysOpens in new window ]

The problem with the video is not the video........

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