Sir, – I note the Government statement that it believes that the newly established Land Development Agency will be as significant as the decision to set up the ESB or Aer Lingus.
Can I suggest that they rein the hubris in for a bit and let’s see how it pans out, particularly given the lack of success with its policies to date? – Yours, etc,
MARIE BREEN,
Drimnagh,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – I note the Taoiseach’s cunning plan to curry favour with building developers by offering them public land as a gift, thereby stealing some of the traditional Fianna Fáil base. Using his magic wand, he has managed to move the Galway Tent to Dublin. – Yours, etc,
BILL O’BRIEN,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – It is obvious that Fine Gael remains fixated by the market and is not addressing the core of the problem – the lack of social housing.
It is therefore easy to forecast that this new agency will simply act as a conduit through which more public funds will be channelled into the pockets of private developers and landlords under the pretence that the common good is being served.
The common good will not be served by this initiative for the simple reason, now surely abundantly clear, there is not the will to do so.
The future just took on a depressing new tinge of grim. – Yours, etc,
JIM O’SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Sligo.
A chara, – Rather than reporting on what our Government is promising to do, with such reports as “New State agency to free up land for ‘150,000 homes over 20 years’” (September 13th), or “Sports halls at centre of €12 billion plan for school investment” (September 14th), media outlets should only report on objectives that have been achieved or what is actually happening, such as “New record of more than 718,000 patients on waiting lists” (September 14th).
I believe reporting on facts and accomplishments will incentivise our Government to implement solutions to tackle our many problems and the public can look forward to living in an improved Ireland and will no longer have to read make-believe news or worry about broken political promises. – Is mise,
JASON POWER,
Dartry,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – The Government claims that 40 per cent of the new housing agency’s houses will be “affordable”. Does that mean that it proposes that the other 60 per cent should be unaffordable? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN LACEY,
Dublin 8.