Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will finish on one further point. Professor FitzGerald made reference in his statement to the fact 2003 was effectively where we took the wrong route. Looking back, he said that he highlighted to the Government over successive periods that particular measures should be brought in to control the housing sector. In 1998, and I remember the time, mortgage interest relief for rental investment properties was disallowed and, basically, was removed. Then, in 2002, it was restored. Why was mortgage interest relief restored for investment properties from 1 January 2002 onwards, when it had been removed for the previous four years? Did Professor FitzGerald highlight that to the Government in reports? On the face of it, this links into 2003 and it was a pivotal fiscal policy decision by the Government. Professor FitzGerald claims that the decisions could have been made by-----