Sir, – Michael O’Flynn quotes a Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland estimate of an average cost of ¤461,437 to deliver a three-bedroom semi-detached house in the greater Dublin area (“Even with State subsidies, it is not realistic to expect house prices in Dublin to come down dramatically”, Business, Opinion, February 5th).
He says that “anyone proposing to deliver houses in Dublin cheaper than this needs to explain how this is possible”. A good place to start would be with the three private developers currently selling new-build A-rated houses in Wexford, Mullingar and Kilkenny for €285,000.
Prices are set by what the market will bear, not the costs. – Yours, etc,
ORLA HEGARTY,
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Assistant Professor,
School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy,
University College Dublin,
Dublin 4.
