Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 472: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the findings of the latest edition of the permanent TSB-ESRI house price index which shows that the rate of house price growth has risen faster in the four months July-October 2005, 4.2%, than in the first half of 2005,2.6%. [38913/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Notwithstanding very strong demand and increased levels of mortgage lending, house price increases have moderated significantly in recent years. This moderation is attributable particularly to the very large increase in housing output, which has been a primary objective of Government policy.

The recent Permanent TSB data showed an increase of 7.2% in average house prices nationally in the 12 months to October 2005 compared with 10.8% in the 12 months to October 2004. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on variations over relatively short periods in the Permanent TSB index, which is based on its own lending data.