Resolving the housing crisis: Standards must be exemplary

NO matter how it is dressed up, the housing crisis is a shameful indictment of this society and particularly Fianna Fáil’s role in the catastrophe. 

The crisis underlines the lip-service we offer on the idea of social support and equity. Even though every bar is full of stories — many of them true — about individuals abusing State benefits, the housing scandal goes far beyond that well-rehearsed distraction.

We have a housing crisis because local authorities stopped building houses for the thousands of people who could not meet the ever-escalating demands of the market. Lotto land costs and developers’ expectations were very influential, too.