Sir, - It was very fitting that John O'Loughlin's letter, in which he criticises Dr Desmond Connell's outspoken criticism of the "greed" of property speculators, appeared on April Fool's Day. It appears that many people are arriving at a false diagnosis of the cause of spiralling house prices.
Liberal, modern Irish couples work full-time outside the home. They can plan their families in accordance with their ability to juggle work and the rearing of children. Accordingly, the birthrate has fallen by over 25 per cent since 1980. (In Europe, where liberalisation took place earlier, the birth-rate per head of population has decreased by 40 per cent since 1964, resulting in today's crises over pensions.)
We have a free economy dictated by the marketplace. The demand for bigger and better houses is increased by the greater ability of couples to pay higher mortgages. Land speculators, lending institutions, employers, religious orders (sale of land) - they all benefit from this situation.
Is anybody concerned that the "Tiger" is a threatened species? - Yours, etc.,
John F. Higgins
Allen Park Road, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.