Share buyers should establish their "comfort level" in regard to the amount of risk they want to take, Mr Mark Cunningham, director of Bank of Ireland Asset Finance, told the investment debate.

"You must also establish liquidity and access requirements in other words make sure you are aware of how long it will take before your investment starts to appreciate," he cautioned.

The speakers advocating property investment maintained that one irrefutable factor in favour of bricks and mortar was the expected growth in the labour market.

Mr Pat Gunne, managing director of Gunne Property Consultants, predicted that over the next 12 years about 13.5 million sq ft of office space would be needed to fulfil demand and that was the "substance" behind commercial property investments.

Despite their differences, there was broad agreement on one core piece of advice do not place all your financial eggs in one basket.

Both sides supported the idea of a balanced portfolio, made up of shares and property investments. The arguments seemed to be about how that balance should be struck.