"average Dublin house prices should fall to ‘the €300,000 mark" according to Many Lou McD.

I would 100% vote for any party that can actually boost supply, even if my house value falls 20%.

I hope that happens.

I value the good of the rest of society, and my children, over my own personal wealth.

I did not do anything to cause my house to gain 25% during the last few years, it is an un-earned gain.

This is very true.

The majority of adults do own a home, mortgaged or outright.

Unemployment is very low and we have the largest number of people employed in the history of the state.

Lots of people are doing very well.

You only need to take a walk around Dublin in the week and see the number of people out shopping, socialising in bars & restaurants etc.

Now that doesnt help the folks trying to get on the property ladder, of course. But that cohort is a minority.

We have a higher homeownership rate currently than anytime in almost 15 yrs.

There are a majority of the population, over 70%, who may well not want to see house price falls and are doing just fine.

How many of those folks want to see a SF govt?

Where are you getting that home ownership rates have increased?

I believe we had somewhere around 80% in the early 90s, dropping to around 66% these days.

Any figures I've seen show them dropping faster amongst younger cohorts and those not on higher incomes.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/2022/07/06/falling-home-ownership-rates-will-leave-future-retirees-financially-exposed-study-finds/

Yes it dropped from a peak in the 90s, but 2022 was the highest precentage of ownership since 2010, albeit very small margins.

What defines homeownership?

An adult that owns their own home?

Or an adult that lives in a home owned by them or a family member?

What impacts would those be?

I don't necessarily disagree with the idea he is proposing there, if the state is giving a large subsidy to a buyer, there remains an indefinite claw back which I think is fair enough. However, it is not comparable to buying a house normally, it is really comparing apples and oranges. There will some set affordable price that you would need to sell it on for later (Which is fair enough, I don't think the aim is to enrich people with state subsidies), but it is not comparable to buying a house and being able to get the full market price for it later.

(1) There is also a shortage of facilities. ETBs can't cope with the numbers for Phase 2 presenting for training. Spending money isn't a solution on its own, as for the North, having had Sinn Fein in charge of education up there, it is a complete mess. The State already pays students to study construction, not like in other areas like IT and pharma where the students study at their own expense.

(2) That doesn't make sense. For someone who claims to have studied economics, I am a little despairing at what I am reading. You want to offer long-term stability to construction employees in public sector employment. Even Leaving Cert economics will explain to you that this is an inefficient and more expensive use of resources that will cost more in the longer term. I am fine with it as a policy option, if people want the State to set up a company to build houses, so be it. However, I am absolutely fed up with the lies coming from people who claim to be trained in economics that it will somehow be cheaper when the opposite is true as we see with the Children's Hospital. Let the State build houses, give carpenters and bricklayers jobs for life in the public service, but don't pretend it will be cheaper.

Can just imagine builders on the public payroll. How long before they start complaining that the private sector is on more money than them and be looking for rises and saying they’re going on strike.

The state (through a building entity that is owned/operated by the state) isn't building the Childrens Hospital though. BAM Ireland is. From their own website: "Established in 1958, BAM Ireland is the largest multinational construction business operating nationally with expertise and experience in the delivery of many of Ireland’s flagship infrastructural and building projects."

SF are a bunch of morons and anyone who votes for them is also.

Anyone can make false promises.

Mary Lou studied English Literature AFAIK. So what does she know about the construction industry.

The IRA were well known for being anti drugs whilst taking money from drug dealers. They were doing this in Dublin not too long ago.

The best we can hope for is construction capacity edging upwards and home completions also.

We could hit 35,000 units next year definitely.

We can then increase incrementally towards 45,000.

FG performed an economic miracle. They took us from the brink of disaster to one of the best economies in the world in less than 10 years.

They're obviously not perfect but they should be commended for what they've done right.

I see no competence or intelligence in SF. Just populist bluster.

Also you don't need to spend €1500 on an apartment. You can house share for €700.

Alternatively you can rent a brand new 2 bed apartment for €2100. Assuming no couples, put one person in the sitting room and then a bedroom each, which works out at €700 a month which isn't bad.

Almost every western city is in a housing crisis and we're doing better than others.

Also the housing crisis is at a turning point at the moment based on data.

Though I think going forward I think we should be aiming for a target where, say, a single person on an ordinary wage in Dublin can afford to rent a one bed apartment while saving for a deposit to purchase a similar type apartment.