government blamed for housing shortage in Ireland.

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Monday July 14, 2003 17:16 by writer. - issues of the day- homelessness.

houses and homes, thugs and losing your thatch Modern Ireland.

at the sae time as a squat is illegaly evicted by thugs in central Dublin leaving an activist hospitalised Ireland sees the publication of the Quarterly Housing Bulletin, which revealed that the price of new houses had risen by over 12% in the last year.

Government Accused Over Housing Shortage
14/07/03: Labour Party’s Joan Burton has accused the government of glossing over its failure to provide sufficient affordable homes


Deputy Burton said the faiure came at a time when the average house price has topped E250,000."

She was speaking following the publication of the Quarterly Housing Bulletin, which revealed that the price of new houses had risen by over 12% in the last year.

"Despite repeated assertions that there would be a slow-down in the housing prices, these figures demonstrate a significant rise on this time last year,” she said.

"In effect, the rate of increase in house prices is three times that of inflation. The average cost of a house in Ireland is E250,000. Yet this government has seen fit to abolish the first-time buyer's grant and cut back on affordable housing schemes.

"Despite Housing Minister Noel Ahern's claims today, the government has failed to control the price of building land. The matter cannot simply be left to the All-Party Committee on the price of building land, and urgent action should be taken immediately,” she said. (14/07/03)