Only 54pc of those aged 25-34 years plan to get married and/or have children in the future, according to a new survey commissioned by the Catholic marriage counselling service, Accord.

The figure was part of a survey done by the Amárach research firm on over 1000 adults.

The survey also found that 84pc of adults in Ireland say that the housing crisis is causing some couples to delay getting married and/or have children, reflecting a widely held belief.

Of the 54pc of those aged 25-34 who plan to get married and/or have children, just under half, 48pc, say they would have married before now if it wasn’t for the housing situation (33pc would have married in the past three years but didn’t).

Moreover, 60pc of couples planning to have children would have done so before now if it wasn’t for the housing situation (36pc would have had a child in the past three years but didn’t).