I am sure most Senators will agree that, as a nation, we have a keen interest in property ownership. The fact that Ireland enjoys one of the highest home-ownership ratios in the world is no mere accident. We have always had a strong connection with the land and owning our own homes. This has something to do with our history. The desire for property ownership has always burned brightly within us. Anybody who doubts that the flame still burns today, as it did in times past, need look no further than at current newspaper supplements, devoted entirely to property related matters, read avidly by thousands every week.