Sir, – Simon Brook for whom I have a lot of respect, trots out the same old limited line against the sale of council housing. I believe he is wrong. ("Alan Kelly selling off family silver at a knock-down price", November 25th).
As someone who grew up in a council house that my parents had the opportunity to buy and who now lives in a former council house, which the then tenants had the opportunity to purchase, I see huge social value in the housing opportunities and the social mix that such sales schemes generate.
I have always been proud to say that I have only ever lived in a “corpo” – the Mansion House included.
The notion that selling off these homes seriously limits housing availability is simply wrong. Most of them hardly ever become available as succession tenancy very often applies. Similarly the suggestion that we are selling off these houses when they cost so much to provide is a limited one. Many have long since been paid for. The key issue that should be argued for is that all funds raised from these sales must be reinvested in social housing – that is a real cost-effective way to increase supply.
Housing policy must be about a lot more than quantity – though that, of course at present, is hugely important. It must also be about quality of environment and real social mix.
This sale of houses scheme stabilises communities and gives working-class tenants a chance to own their own homes.
– Yours, etc,
Cllr DERMOT LACEY
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.