Dead hands won’t stop housing crisis

Sir — Tim Ryan’s article last week on the failed Kenny recommendations does not address why, after almost 50 years, not one of the relevant ministers has offered an explanation for this failure to do the obvious.

The magic figure for an affordable or social house could be €200k and achievable if Vat were scrapped and builders were offered free serviced state land. But first you must deal with the dead hand of the legals in the Dail and their back-up — the legally loaded Seanad who are masters at holding things up. Michael Foley, Rathmines, Dublin 6