Housing price rises creating ‘two Irelands’

FINE GAEL last night warned that soaring property prices are creating “two Irelands” after it emerged that less than one in ten of the record number of new homes built last year were intended for low-income dwellers.

Housing and Urban Renewal Minister Noel Ahern estimated that around 7,000 of the €80,957 new flats and houses completed in 2005 were in the specially-designated social and affordable categories.

Mr Ahern also expressed concern about the level of price increases.