Taoiseach’s comments in New York promoting speculation in Irish property – a scandal - Enda Kenny encourages speculators to profit from dire housing crisis In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett TD has denounced as “scandalous“ Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s comments in New York where he encouraged US investors to profit from the Dublin’s growing housing crisis. Deputy Boyd Barrett who has repeatedly criticised the government’s housing policy over the last three years, said that the Taoiseach’s remarks were further evidence that the government were once again promoting the sort of profit driven speculation in property that crashed the entire economy. Over the last year Deputy Boyd Barrett has sharply criticised REIT’s (Real Estate Investment Trusts) as “a dangerous return to the land of property based tax reliefs that led to the disastrous property bubble that collapsed the Irish economy”. Deputy Boyd Barrett said the measure that could provide desperately needed social and affordable housing in Dublin and other urban centres was an emergency programme of council house building and the introduction of rent controls in the private rental sector. Deputy Boyd Barrett said the profit led approach being pursued within the government would generate a new property bubble and was already causing an unprecedented housing and homelessness crisis – while avoiding the possibility of another speculative housing bubble. Richard Boyd Barrett said, “The Taoiseach’s comments in New York are utterly scandalous. He is actively inviting speculators and corporate sharks to speculate and profit from a deepening housing crisis in Dublin and other major urban centres. Between new property tax breaks the REITS, the sell-off of NAMA and IBRC loans to big corporate vultures in the US and now the Taoiseach’s comments, the government is handing over the Irish housing and property sector to the sort of profit driven gamblers that wrecked the Irish economy. It’s totally insane. So while hundreds of thousands of families languish on housing lists or face mortgage arrears, and many are being made homeless, Enda Kenny’s priority is to make profits for property speculators. It’s just unbelievable. What we need is for the government to urgently provide council homes, introduce rent controls to help those who need homes, not hand over our future to speculators and corporate gamblers”. ENDS For info/comment: Richard Boyd Barrett TD 086 7814520
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:21:31 +0000
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