Picture the scene, if you will, five years from now, in the Dáil. Taoiseach Simon Harris is on his feet in the chamber, trying to defend his Government’s decision to end the rent freeze legislation introduced in 2019. For the past five years, rents have been frozen in place, giving, according to Harris, “valuable breathing […]
300 people packed a meeting in Borrisokane in north Tipperary last night to hear that accommodation for 84 migrants and asylum seekers was being made available in the town under a “done deal”. Residents and local representatives at the meeting were critical of the “secrecy” surrounding the move by the Department of Justice, who had […]
The Government has announced ‘stringent new building regulations’ which will drive up the cost of new builds and renovations of existing builds. Under the new regulations all new builds will have to have an A2 energy rating and be ‘near-zero energy buildings’, and existing builds, undergoing major renovations, will have to be brought up to […]
It seems that the people of Oughterard in Galway are not for turning. Despite orders from Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan that they should ‘step back’ and let the government ride rough-shed over the concerns of the community, they continue to protest against the establishment of a direct provision centre they see as unworkable and inhumane. This issue […]
The most unforgettable line of the timeless 1939 classic ‘Gone With The Wind’ is the last words of Clark Gable’s character Rhett Butler. In the final few scenes of the movie, Vivien Leigh’s character Scarlett O’Hara – in desperation – asks Rhett “Where shall I go? What shall I do?” He coolly responds “Frankly, my […]
A real good news/bad news report from property website Daft this quarter. The good news: At 6.7%, the rate of increase in Irish rents is finally slowing and slowing quite significantly. The bad news: The people at Daft think it’s because people just can’t afford to pay any more than they are paying. According to […]