Around the Block

Developer's perfect pitchDublin property developer Sean Dunne must be teacher's pet at Clongowes Wood College at the moment - but then he has well earned the honour, having shelled out no less than one big note to build Ireland's first all-weather rugby pitch.

The top class facility, named after the school's late vice-principal Vincent Murray, was officially opened and blessed at the Kildare demesne on Monday night at what turned out to be a happy celebration for the school, which is due to mark its bicentenary in eight years time. Dunne's elder son, Stephen, played with "The Wood" senior team two years ago while younger son John is one of the stars of this year's selection. The sparkling new French-built football pitch and floodlighting could mark a turn in the famous school's rugby fortunes which have not been so brilliant of late.

Record housebuilding makes history

Does oversupply beckon one wonders? According to the latest report by the Department of the Environment, housing completions for the first nine months of this year are up 13.4 per cent on last year to 54,170 units nationwide - the highest in the history of the State. Interestingly, despite this housebuilding boom, a mere 2,500 social and affordable units were "in progress or proposed" by June under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 according to its housing statistics bulletin.

Countrywide, the best performers in the house completion stakes apart from Dublin with 12,150, Cork with 5,661 and Galway with 3,468 were Meath at 2,561 and Kildare with 2,591. Both Meath and Kildare clocked up more completions than Limerick at 2,348, Waterford at 1,572 and Kilkenny at 970. Bottom of the pile was Monaghan at 458.

Prenez garde

With overseas property exhibitions every weekend, and France edging up in the popularity stakes for those seeking a home in the sun, it's worth noting a warning issued by the The Law Society in the UK last week. It's estimated that around 250,000 British people have bought in France in recent years, with the strength of sterling against the euro and the euro tunnel making the move so much easier. Now the Law Society is warning househunters to beware the pitfalls of buying property in France.

"A growing number of people are falling foul of French law when they buy a second home in France," the society said in a statement earlier this week. For instance, many people do not realise that their spouse may not automatically inherit their property in France and children have a legal right to a share of the property. Another common pitfall is the differences in death taxes - gifts to non-relatives in France are taxed at 60 per cent.

"It is essential that everyone buying property abroad has confidence that their affairs are in order and that their wishes will be carried out after they die." No one wants to worry about that when buying a jolly little gîte in the French countryside, but obviously the same pitfalls await Irish buyers who don't acquaint themselves fully with the French system before putting down their money.