i just started to read a book i got for christmas – called “the builders” by frank macdonald and kathy sheridan (of the irish times).

only on page 35 so far, but here are some interesting extracts:

“… successive governments had failed to implement the 1974 keane report on building land, which recommended that all land designated for urban developement should be compulsorily aquired by the local authorities at its existing use value, plus a premium of 25 per cent. as a direct result of this failure, huge profits went into the pockets of everyone who owned land or speculatively aquired it, and the inflated cost was passed onto the homebuyers”

“green party td (teachta dála, member of lower house of the irish parliament) ciarán cuffe estimates that at least 100 of the 800-plus councillors countrywide work as estate agents or auctioneers”