Fine Gael Attacks Economic Growth & Homeownership

[TKwhiskers]

In a bizarre turn of events the Fine Gael Environment Spokesperson Fergus O’Dowd TD has attacked the Governments policy of perusing growth in the housing sector.

In a press release issued this afternoon, Mr. O'Dowd said the the Government had spectacularly failed by allowing an increase in House prices over the last 8 years.

Mr. O'Dowd went on to criticize Fianna Fáil for promising in their ‘02 manifesto that they were ‘committed to a high level of home ownership’.

Of course what O'Dowd "forgot" to mention was that homeownership figures have actually increased by over 100,000 since 1997.

His reckless comments ignore the fact that almost 75,000 homes will be built this year and that the building industry is effectively fueling the economy.

One expects these Neo-Markist comments from Joe "Bin-Tax" Higgins but not from a member of the so called respectable opposition. Then again Fine Gael seem more committed to sound bites than actual policy development.

[KingKane]

In a bizarre turn of events the Fine Gael Environment Spokesperson Fergus O’Dowd TD has attacked the Governments policy of perusing growth in the housing sector.

In a press release issued this afternoon, Mr. O'Dowd said the the Government had spectacularly failed by allowing an increase in House prices over the last 8 years.

Mr. O'Dowd went on to criticize Fianna Fáil for promising in their ‘02 manifesto that they were ‘committed to a high level of home ownership’.

Of course what O'Dowd "forgot" to mention was that homeownership figures have actually increased by over 100,000 since 1997.

His reckless comments ignore the fact that almost 75,000 homes will be built this year and that the building industry is effectively fueling the economy.

One expects these Neo-Markist comments from Joe "Bin-Tax" Higgins but not from a member of the so called respectable opposition. Then again Fine Gael seem more committed to sound bites than actual policy development.

TK, you really don't read what you write do you?

If home ownership is only up by 100,000 and almost 75,000 houses are expected to have been built in 2005. Whch would lead us to beleive that house building has averaged over 50,000 over the last 8 years, who has bought all the houses?

The full quote is "“Since the re-election of this Government, the average price of a second hand home in Dublin jumped by over €100,000. This hike in prices came after Fianna Fail said in their manifesto that they were ‘committed to a high level of home ownership’ and that the Party was ‘determined that [the role of the investor] should not be at the expense of making conditions impossible for first time buyers’. These massive price increases follow on from five years of high prices that Fianna Fail and the PDs allowed to go unchecked during their first term"

So, he is saying that FF promised a commitment to a high rate of home ownership and instead have fueled the landlord sector of the housing market.

[TKwhiskers]

You are missing the point home ownership has increased dramatically over the period, 100,000 is very conservative figure (I'm trying to get the exact figure) and reflects the net position which includes a large reduction each year as older people sell up and move on to the big property ladder in the sky.

The fact is the Government has encouraged the construction of more homes to meet demand at every turn, while on the ground at council level Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens have opposed any measures to increase homeownership levels by obstructing home construction.

The only way to stabilize the market is encourage supply to meet demand anything else is just window dressing or Neo-Marxist thinking.

[BarryW]

In a bizarre turn of events the Fine Gael Environment Spokesperson Fergus O’Dowd TD has attacked the Governments policy of perusing growth in the housing sector

Oh dear - more hysterical nonsense from TK

Does the prospect of the opposition benches terrify you that much? Tht you have to troll endlessly with ridiculous stuff like this...

[KingKane]

But demand has been running at circa 70,000 since 97, and house building has only started to match demand in the last 2 years, which leave 10,000s of people SOOL since then. The government has been really good at feathering the nests of the construction industry, and you don't need to be an economist to know that an economy that is overally reliant on the construction industry is vunlerable.

[DOD]

In a bizarre turn of events the Fine Gael Environment Spokesperson Fergus O’Dowd TD has attacked the Governments policy of perusing growth in the housing sector

Oh dear - more hysterical nonsense from TK

Does the prospect of the opposition benches terrify you that much? Tht you have to troll endlessly with ridiculous stuff like this...

I don't think TK will have to worry about opposition benches for a while.

[hiding behind a poster]

I presume, TKWhiskers, that this means "the Rainbow is in tatters"?

[KingKane]

I presume, TKWhiskers, that this means "the Rainbow is in tatters"?

Well, most of us are in titters when we read TK's posts.


I'll get me coat....

[hiding behind a poster]

I presume, TKWhiskers, that this means "the Rainbow is in tatters"?

Well, most of us are in titters when we read TK's posts.


I'll get me coat....

Indeed, down our way, they speak of little else other than Fergus O'Dowd issuing a statement. Of course the citizenry never bother talking about FF corruption, Rip-off Ireland, huge government waste on infrastructure, cronyism on state boards, extra stealth taxes, etc etc..... I think thats what life is like in TK's world.....

[Rocky]

[quote=hiding behind a poster]

I presume, TKWhiskers, that this means "the Rainbow is in tatters"?

Well, most of us are in titters when we read TK's posts.


I'll get me coat....

Indeed, down our way, they speak of little else other than Fergus O'Dowd issuing a statement. Of course the citizenry never bother talking about FF corruption, Rip-off Ireland, huge government waste on infrastructure, cronyism on state boards, extra stealth taxes, etc etc..... I think thats what life is like in TK's world..... [/quote:2xlzpgr9]

I know it's unbelieveable every time you knock on a door all you hear is Fergus O'Dowd said this and Fergus O'Dowd said that. You never hear the FF government even mentioned. It's horrible.