Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

As a representative of the auctioneers noted, the person who pays stamp duty is often the seller rather than the buyer. I fear the Sunday Independent represents some very well-heeled people. Property price inflation means that, on paper, many of us who have owned houses for 20 years have become enormously wealthy, were we to move out. Some wish to keep such inflation going and attacking stamp duty is a way to do so. While they pretend their concern is for the first-time buyer——