There's sometimes a tendency to focus on the likes of Ballymun and the Glen in Cork when we look at social housing but certainly in country towns, there is often a much better sense of community in old style council estates then elsewhere in the town. I was not advocating the state building houses, rather build communities. Put a community centre, bus stops, retail units, maybe a Garda station, health clinic etc in the area. Don't build ghettos which was the mistake of the past.
Some of the post thatcherite policies adopted by many countries, including Ireland are now coming home to roost. Right to buy is a case in point. I've no argument that people should be able to buy a house if they can afford but if you have a life long council lease why should you be able to buy that house or flat at a discount? Once the new owner then passes away, that house is lost to the council housing stock.
As for the state being inefficient, yes there is some truth to that but it is not the whole truth. Look at the motorways, the Luas, the Electrical infrastructure, gas piplelines, plenty of big infrastructural projects that are still standing and working today, unlike many houses built by the private sector over the last 20 years. And yes, I know the state has to take a share of responsibility for not enforcing regulations, but chancer Irish private sector builders still took the chance and got away with it.
We've been dependent on the private sector to solve the housing issue for the last 20 years and it's failed. So surely we'd be mad to continue?
Some of the post thatcherite policies adopted by many countries, including Ireland are now coming home to roost. Right to buy is a case in point. I've no argument that people should be able to buy a house if they can afford but if you have a life long council lease why should you be able to buy that house or flat at a discount? Once the new owner then passes away, that house is lost to the council housing stock.
As for the state being inefficient, yes there is some truth to that but it is not the whole truth. Look at the motorways, the Luas, the Electrical infrastructure, gas piplelines, plenty of big infrastructural projects that are still standing and working today, unlike many houses built by the private sector over the last 20 years. And yes, I know the state has to take a share of responsibility for not enforcing regulations, but chancer Irish private sector builders still took the chance and got away with it.
We've been dependent on the private sector to solve the housing issue for the last 20 years and it's failed. So surely we'd be mad to continue?