Sir, - The fact that 40 per cent of new houses built last year were sited in rural areas shouldn't really come a surprise to anyone (The Irish Times, April 26th). Anyone with any grasp of simple maths can see why. It is still possible to buy a site in some rural locations for as little as £15,000. Through direct labour it is possible to build a nice four-bedroomed house for as little as £50,000. Therefore you get a fine house for £65,000 or so. The only drawback is that you have to commute to work and to pretty much everywhere else (shops, pubs, church). Contrast this with the high prices of basic homes in urban areas (£200,000-plus). Obviously, a couple with a combined gross income of, say, £40,000 can't afford to pay £200,000 for a house so they are forced to build in the countryside.
The fault for this lies squarely and almost exclusively with the present Government. It has tinkered around with the housing crisis when it was obvious to everyone with two brain cells that drastic action was necessary. It is the Government's single biggest failure and the single biggest threat to our economy. The solution to the current housing crisis is not to ban the building of houses in rural areas. It is for the State to build a huge number of good quality, higher density, affordable houses and apartments in urban areas. These could be sold to non-developers at a small profit. This would have the multiple benefits of providing quality homes for people in urban areas, where people want to live, reducing house prices in the private sector, providing employment in the construction industry and making a profit for the State.
I don't realistically expect the current Government to implement this kind of a plan. To do so would be a sin against the market-economy religion of which Mary Harney and Charlie McCreevy are strict followers. They have forgotten that they are supposed to be running a country, not just an economy - and in a country people need somewhere to live. - Yours, etc.,
G. Allen, Eagle Valley, Wilton, Cork.
Sir, - The haphazard sububanisation of the countryside is alarming. Down many rural lanes we now have haciendas, Spanish arches, green baize lawns and leylandii. As a visitor from the UK, I find it sad to see our mistakes repeated over here when you have such a beautiful emerald land.
But what is also astonishing is that some of the professional people involved claim they didn't know it was happening. They had to rely on records from the ESB! For heavens sake, all you need to do is to drive down almost any country road in Meath, Louth and many other counties and it will hit you between the eyes. One is tempted to suggest they should get out more.
There is, however, a more serious point highlighted by the economist Colm McCarthy when he doubted if there was any political will to come up with a solution. Someone should, before it is too late. - Yours, etc.,
Kit Hubback, Rathmullan Road, Drogheda, Co Louth.