Profiteers in the housing market

SIR, The government, in their ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ initiative, have set aside billions to encourage local authorities to build homes. Cork County Council have now announced that they are seeking finance to build 18,000 houses mainly, but not exclusively, in the greater Cork city area. They are to be commended for their willingness to tackle the problem of house shortage. For ten or more years local authorities have neglected their duty in this regard, so maybe they might follow this example and begin building. They should supply social housing, of course, but also homes that young couples can purchase at cost.

The private sector say there isn’t enough profit to be made in building houses at the moment. Should profit be the deciding factor in seeing to people’s need in having decent homes? There are certain essentials that the state – namely our representatives – should surely be involved in: a proper health service, education services, and a roof over one’s head would top the list.

We are a thinly populated country so acquiring land for houses should not be a major problem. How much profiteering should be tolerated when people are homeless or paying rents that are beyond their means?

Dublin is at crisis point; a semi detached there can cost three to four times what it costs ‘in the regions’. However building material costs are similar and labour costs aren’t all that different, so the cost of building sites needs to be looked at as a matter of urgency. The shopworker, nurse, taxi driver or office worker doesn’t get three times the going salary just because they work in our capital city. Supply is the problem also. This arises because the capital is constantly growing as nearly each week more jobs are announced for an already over populated area .

Cork County Council see their new project as an essential one for the future economic development of county Cork. Let’s take the government at their word, when they say they are providing the capital for house building and get with the programme. Houses are not a luxury for people; they are a basic need. Let those tasked to supply this need do so. Corcaigh abu! Sincerely, Gerry Cournane, Tralee.