John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

Sligo has a young population and it needs to encourage people to live in the region. Thankfully, people are willing to live there but there is no social housing available for them. Those who can afford to buy houses find themselves crippled with enormous debt and unable to cope with the burden of indirect taxation which this Government has imposed.

The Government is responsible for not controlling house prices which, in some regions, are increasing at a rate of €20,000 per year. Its mismanagement has resulted in a major crisis. In 1996, when Fine Gael was in Government, the average price of a house was £75,000 nationally and £88,000 in Dublin. House prices are expected to rise annually——

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