Vol. 525 No. 3
107 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the level of increase in house prices; the anticipated level of increase for the full current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24790/00]
The most recent published figures for house prices are contained in my Department's housing statistics bulletin for the June quarter which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Provisional returns from lending institutions for the September 2000 quarter indicate there has been a significant reduction in the level and rate of house price increases. However, these figures are still subject to checking in my Department. I hope to be in a position to publish what I believe will be very welcome and positive figures on house price trends in the near future.
I am not in the business of making house price predictions, other than to say that there is now, I believe, a widespread acknowledgement that the range of measures taken by the Government have contributed to a clear moderation in house price increases.
