Holiday Developments in Connemara

Hi Maryrose,
I am not proposing such a taxation system. I was just pointing out that people from urban areas are often prices out of those areas due to people from rural areas moving in. I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with it people from rural areas giving out about outsiders moving into their areas and pushing up prices.
What's good for one has to be good for the other.
The urban sprawl on the outskirts of Dublin (and most of the other large towns and cities) does not "create employment, provide any sustainable regeneration for a community" in fact I would say that "the only people who benefit in the main are the owners, the developers and the government".
I am also not saying that only Dubs buy holiday homes, I am saying that the majority of people who buy them are from urban areas.

There are a number of issues here.

First of all through section 48 (I think), the exchequer is basically paying almost half the construction cost of these holiday homes. Note that the buildings can only be used as holiday homes and not as a place of residence in order to be compliant with the tax rules. This has the perverse result of small rural and costal villages being surrounded by suburban style housing estates which will remain largely empty for most of the year. This housing does nothing to help locals or non-locals actually buy a house and live in the area and in fact probably makes it much more expensive because builders will want to concentrate on the much more lucrative holiday home business. This tax incentive is perverse, massively expensive and is ruining the country.

Secondly, the proliferation of holiday homes is destroying traditional tourism. I only have anecdotal evidence for this, but there are a few villages on the west coast I visit at least once a year and there has been a noticable decline in the business done in pubs, restaurants, B&Bs, etc. even as tourist numbers grow. It's hard to explain but I think that many visitors these days will load up the boot with groceries and booze from their local Dunnes before heading down to stay in a holiday home. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with people staying in holiday homes (I do it myself) but it is odd that this unsustainable model of tourism development is being part funded by the exchequer to the detriment of everyone (visitors and locals alike) bar a small number of local builders and landowners.

The funny thing is how divided such villages/communities are about such development. Unfortunately, it seems that most people in such areas have swallowed the "rural development" propaganda. You're constantly hearing local councillors and such types bleating on about An Taisce, Dubliners, city-types, etc. trying to repress "rural folk", retard economic development "in the wesht", depopulate the countryside, etc. The solution advocated is to allow any sort of development with no regard for long term effects just so that a small few local builders and landowners can afford to buy the latest model SUV. This would be funny except that many in such communities find the victimhood argument appealing and then support any sort of crap development even though it's damaging to their own interests.

I completely agree that tax breaks for holiday homes are a disgrace. All tax breaks for the construction industry should be looked at and not in a "oh, yes, we are looking at that one alright" kind of way. I can see no reason for any of them to still be in place.

Hey guys

Thanks for the input. Since i posed the question the local development council have decided to object to all large scale holiday developments within the settlement zone of the village until there is a proper development plan drawn by the county council. As far as i know the public have an input into this plan when it is being drawn up so that will be the opportunity for us to shape the village into the way we want it.
But god knows when that will be as there are various larger towns in the region that have no development plan drawn up yet and they will be ahead of us on the priority list. So i guess its probably better to hold onto what we have for the moment until there is a proper structure in place. If we sell out now and with no guidelines then there is no going back....
Must go and see some of the towns around west clare as mentioned earlier. Have also heard that a visit to Enniscrone in Co. Sligo to see the holiday developments there would be a good learning experience.

Any other examples of the good, the bad and the ugly around the country?

Didn't some town/village in Wexford employ an urban planner and put together their own plan that was that submitted to, and was approved by, the local authority?

Hi Nick99
Funny you should mention Enniscrone, I was just there yesterday ... what a lovely beach ... as regards the holiday home developments, I can't really comment ... only that I was surprised by the lack of them ... which I suppose is a good thing in a sense.

We have much the same problem here where I live on the river Shannon. Our neighbouring village set up a village development association and had a village renewal plan drawn up by the council. Although this is proactive, it might be hard to seperate the best interests of the village from the vested interests. If a village development plan is drawn up, you will have to live with it. It's not something that should be rushed.
In the mean time I would recommend canvassing your local representatives to tell them you want an end to the rural renewal tax breaks.

Thanks Henny...

Well now that the local development council are united on the issue and have a clear focus on what they want and dont want, then it will be easier to lobby the local representatives, T.D's etc.
The slight complication, of course, is that a couple of the stronger public representatives in the area are actually property developers in their day job who have driven the holiday home route in the past.
But, i suppose, if they want our vote in the future then they just have to row in behind us whether they like it or not.
If they dont,then it will be obvious to all and sundry that they are letting their vested interests get in the way of serving the public....
Interesting times ahead....