Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Oct 1999

Vol. 508 No. 3

Written Answers - House Prices.

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

91 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will instruct his Department to conduct an investigation of, and publish a report on, the constituent costs of house building and changes in these costs in the course of the 1990s; and the costs considered to include the price of land, site servicing materials, labour and developer profits. [18779/99]

Liz McManus

Ceist:

105 Ms McManus asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the most recent figure for the Private New House Prices Index and the corresponding figures for the House Building Cost Index and the Consumer Price Index; the gap between the House Price Index and the Cost of Building Index; the factors he attributes to this gap; the action, if any, he will take to deal with the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18732/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 105 together.

Details of the Private New House Price Index, the House Building Cost Index and the Consumer Price Index are published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.

The House Price Index measures changes in private new house prices which reflect the supply and demand for housing. The Building Cost Index monitors labour costs in the construction industry and the cost of building materials. The Building Cost Index does not include items such as development land prices, planning and development levies, planning fees, legal fees, marketing costs and profits which would be reflected in the House Price Index.

My Department is currently examining the Building Cost Index to see if a more comprehensive index can be prepared.