Madam, - Fiona O'Malley TD forgot to mention (June 30th) that she was elected to the Dáil in 2002 and is a member of the Progressive Democrats, who have been in Government since 1997. You can only admire her cheek for trying to give the impression she has no input into the policy formation of her party and in turn that of the Government.
If she was really so concerned about the worries expressed to her by voters on the doorstep, she would have been raising those concerns with her party colleagues who sit at Cabinet. Perhaps using the letters page of a national newspaper is the only way a PD backbencher can make a point these days, given there is some confusion as to who is the rightful party leader and policy-former - in which case Ms O'Malley should join Fianna Fáil, seeing as its leader listens to his backbenchers.
- Yours, etc,
DESMOND FITZGERALD, Canary Wharf, London E14.
Madam, - It is not correct to say that house prices are rising at three times last year's rate (Business News, June 29th). Property prices may be rising at that rate, but only because of the rapid increase in land values.
This is evident from the valuation of a house in South Dublin. Assuming that it costs €300 per square foot to construct a house in Dublin, this house, a typical single-storey bungalow of about 1,500 square feet, would require €450,000 to build. Properties identical to this house currently sell for about €1.25 million. On this basis, therefore, the site is worth €800,000 - nearly twice the cost of the house!
This ridiculous and dangerous escalation in property prices could easily be prevented by means of land value taxation - but that's another story.
- Yours, etc,
DAVID SOWBY, Knocksinna Crescent, Dublin 18.