One of the best videos if not the best that I've watched on the storm.
We know its trees being blown over and flattening wires/electrical poles that has been a major cause of the issue.
However, what about the quality of the trees themselves? It's trees planted for money, harvesting purposes that are ultimately extremely weak and easy to blow over.
One of the best videos if not the best that I've watched on the storm.
We know its trees being blown over and flattening wires/electrical poles that has been a major cause of the issue.
However, what about the quality of the trees themselves? It's trees planted for money, harvesting purposes that are ultimately extremely weak and easy to blow over.
"As they do so, more radical solutions will be looked at. But as always, demand will never be discussed.
I wonder why?"
Then David McWilliams today, writes this.
He's written like this before, but not in such a blunt way as this.
Mainstream Irish Times opinion now.
Interesting now that a lot of Irish mainstream economists like Dan O Brien, McWilliams, Lucey are finally acknowledging this.
So does this make the Irish Times and McWilliams far right?
18.01.202511:46
Let's talk about the housing market in 2025.
First off, interest rates are now at 3%. Lower interest rates mean more people are able to enter the market and apply for mortgages which pushes up demand.
Second, pent up demand from millennials and zoomers. The result of 68% of young people in their twenties living with their parents will mean, amongst a cohort of people, lead to more money being saved up; not paying rent or bills. This means more people can enter the housing market, especially as even younger people are looking for a house.
The result of all of this will be that housing prices will increase further.
Third, our water infrastructure and housing output is reaching maximum capacity. Housing commencements are NOT housing completions, or even planning permission to explicitly built houses. Those latter two have been pretty stagnant for the past 18 months or so. Any journalist who discusses how we "just need to build more houses" and feel smug about it, is quite frankly, wrong. As for water infrastructure, we're at the stage where housing construction is now being cancelled because of pressure on the main water line.
Fourth, Fine Gael banking policy has essentially been "eh sure, we need investment funds, private investments and foreigners to fund the housing market, not the banking sector." The result of this is that investment funds backed up by capital will continue to keep doing what they're doing.
Fifth, foreigners investing. The previous four points, alongside Ireland having some of the most lax laws for buying property in Europe (while other countries like left wing Spain are now putting 100% taxes on non EU people buying property) means it will be easier for foreigners to buy up property here, pushing prices up further.
Sixth, in their policy for government, FF/FG have spoken about increasing immigration. This in turn, will lead to higher demand for housing.
In conclusion, the housing crisis will continue to get worse over the coming months. The impacts of the housing crisis that we already see will continue to compound.
As they do so, more radical solutions will be looked at. But as always, demand will never be discussed.
Remember I talked about the Pharma and IT sector being on shaky grounds?
Another ‘black swan’ may be on the horizon as the EU is set to limit ‘forever chemicals’ - notably PFAS and PFOS due to health hazard
PFAS and PFOS are used in a lot of things but they are starting to leech into the environment
Though…will a Trump admin allow them? They are cheap to produce and have many properties useful for industry thus it gives more incentive for Pharma and Tech to leave Ireland in case of EU regulations (even if the regulations have merit)
Combine this with all other stuff discussed here with corporation tax etc.
New online safety code in the crosshairs as Elon Musk’s X takes Coimisiún na Meán to the High Court
Under EU law, the Irish State is obliged to regulate video-sharing platforms and streaming services established out of Dublin for the whole of Europe. The new code means platforms such as Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), are obliged to comply or face fines of up to €20 million, or 10 per cent of a platform’s annual turnover, whichever is greater.
Back in July I mentioned that JD Vance was interested in Irish Hate Speech Laws and that due to the tech centre in Ireland there may be some battleground between the Trump US vs EU regulation here - appears to be starting now
