Fair comment, but the objective you’ve described was not stated in the legislation. We are in fact quite a mobile society. The 19th century demonstrated the limits of being rooted in the land, like the bothachs and san0-cléithe of Brehon times, or the municipal tenants of more recent and continuing experience.

The bald fact is that ‘existing sue value’ of brownfield land in successful urban locations would place those inner locations beyond the reach of those for whom the Affordable category was intended to cater.

Incidentally, Dun Laoighre Rathdown continues to be the LA area in the Dublin region with the most lamentable overall record in housing supply, be it for private purchase, social rental, or affordable purchase.

A feature of administrative boundaries, that. A look at the last two censuses shows that the majority of FIngal’s housing output is in fact immediately adjoining the existing Dublin conurbation i.e. where the green fields are, and the land whose existing use value would facilitate the Oireachtas intention of providing ‘affordable’ newbuild housing.

he than said fingal council had —wait for it –two thousand units of housing in the pipeline or being built

some councila are lazy ——– !!!

One small point about timber build housing.

There was an article, in the Daily Telegraph around February 2002, concerning a system that was being marketed by IKEA.

It was a basic 70m2 self-assembly; centally heated & furnished, with items from the IKEA range.

The putative cost – Stg.£7500.

I sent the article to Bobby Molloy, then Minister for Housing.

I got a reply to the effect that due consideration would have be given to planning matters etc.

To the best of my knowledge, it died in his basket.

On 19th July 2004 I wrote to Charlie McCreevy, then Minister for Finance.

He replied on 22nd July to state that he was passing my proposals to Martin Cullen!!!

Martin Cullen CDL – Ireland’s Inaction Man.

The system is still available. It is called BO KLOK (literally Live Smart).

A combination of Kenny 1963 and some energy on the part of Local Authorities could make this a centrepiece of future housing policy.

The rest of the non-debate reminds me of the story of two bald men arguing over a comb.

but, the Greens have been sneered at for years by those other yobbos in the Dail that dont

taxing suvs? no chance
timber- framed houses no chance and so on
those of us who dont vote with our wallet in my mind and want to see necessary change for the future are left floundering……..

I guess its easier to do out of office that in office but I feel it is the editors pushing this story onward. When i am talking to people they dont give a tupenny in general.

I know what you will say molly but people wont get interested in righting wrongs if its gone about in a (perceived?) media hounding.

Village magazine announced this week that it is starting a blog for the election -havent read the details yet but it concerns us setting the election issues not the bloody parties

i agree the energy problem, timber built housing so much cheaper for the consumer so less in need of heating etc etc need to be put on the peoples agenda and many other issues ….

its this awful predictable agenda setting that drives people who have voted for years away for good —- they say theres no point ……..well done schmuck you have hit the nail on the head now hammer it home

I love these. New Idea posters. Because they never say what any of them are. You have to trawel the depths of their websites to find them. It is more hacery politics then idea politics.