Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If I may interject there, Deputy, if it’s helpful actually ... in , in 2003 we did the rip off campaign at the time. In 2005, I made the point to ... the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, at the time, about the, the construction sector had been boosted to 250,000 employees, heading towards 90,000 units. Ten or 15 years before that we were on ... based on exports and competitiveness. In 2006, I made those warnings much more pointed, pointed out that the share of world trade peaked in 2002 and had been in decline subsequent to that ... our, our trade grew, grew very strongly. I finished off that contribution by saying that if anything, the budget they were introducing threatened to further undermine the competitiveness of small businesses and exporters and the relentless and uncontrolled increases in current spending was very dangerous. What Deputy Bruton pointed out there in respect of the stamp duty was absolutely clear. House prices back in the decade of 1997-2007 had risen by over 300%, from €102,000 to €323,000 ...and even higher for second-hand houses and we brought in a series of propositions to, to make that much more appropriate; no stamp duty for the first-time buyers up to €450,000, 9% in excess, for non-first-time buyers, nought to €100,000, zero tax and the next €350,000, 5% tax, and above €450,000, 9%. And that was, that was designed to, to sort of have a more appropriate tax regime but make it possible for first time, first-time buyers to get into the, into the market in a way, and that was compatible, if you like, with a slowing house, house market. House prices were falling in 2007, with the new housing starts and it led to ... it led to an increase in liability.