Madam, - Minister of State for the Environment Noel Ahern insisted last week that "people can still afford to buy houses in Dublin" (The Irish Times, October 5th). He then cited the example of a couple on a combined income of €76,000 a year, based on the average industrial and non-industrial wage, as being sufficient to meet mortgage repayments.
Not once did Mr Ahern refer to how a single person on the average industrial wage might ever aspire to owning his or her own home, no matter how humble, other than by being fortunate enough to be selected in the draw for the affordable housing scheme currently running in the Dublin City Council area.
May I remind Mr Ahern that the purchase of a house may well be out of the control of many single people, but at least they still have control of their votes? - Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER, Delaford Lawn, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.