Professor Alan Ahearne:

It is difficult on the political system in the sense that booms are very popular when they are happening. It is fantastic. The amount of money coming into people's pockets is just brilliant. I remember that, in 2005 and 2006 at the height of the boom, people were complaining about the price of houses but, boy, there were a lot of people employed and wages were rising fast. The amount of cash coming into people's pockets because of what was going on - this money was being borrowed by the banks from abroad and put into cash in people's pockets - it was extremely popular.