This changing Island, the future is going to be strange

Magwitch

A few points were made in my Bertie Bowl posting which I believe bring to the fore an important issue in this country.

A few years ago I (and no one else) would have believed that unemployment and emmigration would not be the main topics of both politics and everyday life in this country. Governments rarely went a full term and corruption, though blatent went unquestioned.

Now things have changed beyond all recognition. The golden circle of developers and politicians is at least being outted, if not broken. Everyone has a job, poverty is receeding, and emmigration is no longer an issue.

But where is this taking us? It is clear that a new rich elite is emerging, and the averge joe on the street is better off, or at least not as worried. But a new land lord culture has sprung up of haves and have not (or never will haves). This points to a future of people incomes being "farmed" because they cannot afford to buy accomodation. Rural resettlement is off the cards with Ruins (literally) with no amenities of any kind having an asking price of £40,000 in the Boyne valley, so money and greed seems now more important than the long standing issue of rural depopulation. But this is reflected Island wide in many areas.

Religion has finally lost its grip on the state and the conciouness of the nation.

Are we going to end up like Austria? A small nation of prosperity and rather right wing views. Does the average person have a life time of insecurity an high borrowing to look forward to? Will property prices means we cannot live in the towns and areas we grow up in and hence the very idea of community become a thing of the past?

Things look rosey now but I think its all a high glass finish.

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Keep your powder dry and your pants moist

androphobic

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Magwitch:
Does the average person have a life time of insecurity an high borrowing to look forward to? Will property prices means we cannot live in the towns and areas we grow up in and hence the very idea of community become a thing of the past?
</font>

Interesting post, Magwitch...

Just to comment on the extract above.. :
property prices are slowly coming down. Stress slowly though.

My dad is about to buy a new house.. a house that would have cost him £400,000 this time last year, but is £50,000 less now.. (which actually is a big drop so maybe not the best example ).. but anyway the auctioneer told us that things have changed a lot since last year - the problem is now that people think they can get the same price for their house as they could a year ago.. and they cant.

As for rent though.. well that'll probably never change.

Anyway, just a thought.

Karl Hungus

Rent is quite a problem I think...
I can't really afford to live near town.
And I live down in Galway, a rather small city!

You can't really live places nowadays with struggling for it.

But, I agree pretty much there Magwitch.

Just a question. Are you a Terry Pratchett Fan?

amp

House prices in the Greater Dublin Area (caps as per the dept of health) will drop due to the belated housing program thanks to our impressive react-when-sh!t-happens- government.

Also let it be said that our own Castor Troy is helping the homeless problem in the best way possible.

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Lunacy Abounds! GLminesweeper RO><ORS!
art is everything and of course nothing and possibly also a sausage

regi

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Also let it be said that our own Castor Troy is helping the homeless problem in the best way possible</font>

lol

Magwitch

In reply AngleWhore:

I Read the first 3 diskworld book and laughed alot but no...not a fan...he did it to death.

azezil

i'm not going to address the whole topic (its too early and my head hurts!) so i'm just addressing the point u made about rural depopulation... big no! i live in a rural area and every year more and more families are movin out ere, possibly spawned of the cheep prices a few yr's back (about 3 yr's) you could get a half acre for £5000, lots of ppl bought the land really quick and in the last 3 years 7 families moved to our area!

previous to this the the rate of development and expasion of the area was stagnent at best, but it looks now like we may just get that shop we've been dreamin of! LOL

so ne way my point is ppl are leaving the cities cause the cost of living is too high, and instead ppl are commuting to work.

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"just because ur not paraniod, doesn't mean they're not after u!"

Magwitch

I still think the point is valid for most. The prices being asked for "out of the way" places are simply mad. £70k to £80k for a half acre in Wicklow not close to any amenities and no planning permission.

Futher afield the opporturnity to cash in the golden cow seems to be of greater relivence then actual depopulation. Those who cannot afford to live in the city can not afford to live in the country either. Though I have no doubt there are exceptions I find it difficult to swallow the proces being asked for areas that are definitly in commuting range of anything. So much for the campaign against holiday homes taking over.