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ISPCA

Thinking of buying a puppy for Christmas? Here's why you shouldn't

The ISPCA has warned people to wait until January to avoid funding puppy farms where dogs can be kept in “appalling conditions”.

THE ISPCA HAS issued a warning to people considering buying a puppy to not support puppy farms in the run up to Christmas.

The organisation has said the coming weeks mark “the busiest time for rogue breeders advertising puppies for sale and buyers need to beware and understand where these puppies are originating from”.

In a statement the ISPCA noted: “Many puppies are bred in appalling conditions, are not vaccinated or microchipped and may be in need of veterinary care.”

The organisation said it has saved hundreds of puppies from “deplorable conditions”, noting dogs sometimes have no access to daylight, have inappropriate bedding and are cooped up in a small kennel or breeding cage.

“In the worst cases there is limited food or access to clean drinking water with minimal human interaction or veterinary care.

They arrive at our centres terrified, often huddled together silently. After extensive veterinary treatment and rehabilitation, the ISPCA finds loving homes for these puppies where they will receive the love and kindness they deserve.

The ISPCA is encouraging people to adopt a dog after the festive season to reduce the risk of supporting this “cruel trade”, adding: “Buying a sick puppy is a heartbreaking experience for any family to endure, especially at Christmas.”

ISPCA CEO Dr Andrew Kelly said puppy breeding in Ireland is big business and the organisation needs the public’s help to reduce the demand.

Large numbers of puppies are bred in Ireland, taken far too early from their mothers to be sold in Ireland or shipped illegally to the UK where they will be sold to unsuspecting families purely for profit with no regard for their welfare. Many of these puppies have had a very unpleasant start in life, sold to people who believe they are purchasing a healthy and happy puppy. Unfortunately they may have purchased a sick puppy, sometimes diagnosed with the contagious and often fatal parvovirus.

‘Don’t be hoodwinked’ 

Broadcaster and ISPCA supporter Charlie Bird shared his own experience with rogue breeders to raise awareness.

“Please don’t be hoodwinked or fooled by rogue breeders like my wife and I were. We decided to buy a puppy from a breeder in Cork whose website seemed great. We visited the sellers at their house in Cork and were led to believe that they had reared the puppies in their house.

We asked all the right questions. We asked to see the father of the puppies and were told that he had tragically been run over. This was not true.

Bird said they were “horrified to find out that it was in fact a large-scale puppy farm with almost 100 breeding females”.

The ISPCA notes that pets “never make good Christmas gifts and should never be bought on a whim or given as a surprise”.

If you’re thinking of buying a dog, here is their advice:

  • Don’t buy a puppy from unscrupulous breeders fuelling demand – do your research
  • Always try to adopt from the ISPCA, your local rescue or dog pound
  • Report suspicious activity online
  • Check if the seller is a registered commercial breeder and check the local authority registration details
  • Reputable breeders do not advertise puppies for sale through online websites, pet shops or newspaper adverts, or meet at petrol stations, car parks or at the side of a road
  • Check websites have signed up to the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (IPAAG) minimum standards
  • Always ask to see both parents of the puppy interacting with the litter. If you’re told this can’t happen, ask why
  • Responsible breeders will want to do a home check and ask you important questions about your lifestyle in order to ensure you are a suitable owner for their puppy
  • Ask to see where mother, father and puppies are living. If you are concerned by excuses made as to why the parents are not there, don’t buy a puppy out of guilt
  • Warning signals include other dogs hidden from sight in nearby sheds or if can you hear loud music playing to drown out the barking noise
  • Also check if there is a lot of traffic coming and going from the property and if someone actually lives there
  • Ask to see the puppies’ veterinary records for vaccinations and parasite treatments, microchipping certificate, etc
  • Ensure you obtain a proper receipt
  • Be cautious of large numbers of puppies for sale online using the same adverts/phone numbers

Read: Quiet, hungry’ puppies shipped from Dublin Port will soon need new homes

Read: Wooden crates for housing dogs “no longer in use” at dog breeding farm in Cavan

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18 Comments
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    Mute Alan Conroy
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:32 PM

    If you have no long term plans to sell your house then all an increase in property prices will mean to you is an increase in the property tax you’ll have to pay.

    116
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    Mute Cpm
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:53 PM

    A somewhat valid point, however I think I’d rather pay €400, than lose €80k per year in the value of my property.

    69
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    Mute Right Wing Steve ©
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:08 PM

    It can also mean getting out of negative equity which would allow you to refinance your mortgage as well.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Aug 20th 2013, 8:03 PM

    If people get out of negative equity that bought at the height of the boom we’re all f&#ked

    18
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    Mute Jimbo
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:33 PM

    Another con job in the making…Thousands of properties in NAMA and drip feeding them out. Supply and demand. We blame Bertie and Brian Cowen for the mess and yet we continue to let another one be created.

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    Mute fred
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:27 PM

    Would you prefer if these thousands of properties were released onto the already fragile housing market at the same time, creating an excess supply? House prices would plummet and then you would really see the sh*t hit the fan. I think it’s in everyones interest that the property market recovers and confidence is restored. Nama isn’t ideal but it’s 100% necessary..

    24
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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:01 PM

    ya I do so maybe then I could afford to buy one!

    on a different note, why are we all on this island demented with whe thought of owning our own house? serious question.

    25
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    Mute Silent Majority
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:14 PM

    ” I think it’s in everyones interest that the property market recovers” Can you explain this statement please?

    17
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    Mute Alan mulvey
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:15 PM

    How are u going to house urself when ur retired?

    6
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    Mute Dave Quinn
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:23 PM

    Good question Pat

    1
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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:35 PM

    High property prices are in no ones interest and example after example can be found of how they destroy economic growth.

    Paying 300k for a house in Dublin means the city is pricing itself out of the investment market for a lot of companies bar a few high growth high earners.

    15
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    Mute Colin O' Mahoney
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:12 PM

    THANKS, DUBLIN. *glares at capital*

    70
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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 2:42 PM

    Crazy that houses prices in Dublin are rising even if it is obvious why. Try starting a business if you are paying 350k for a mortgage in Dublin. Not going to happen. The problems with everyone trying to live on one side of the island.

    If you live in Dublin both parents married and working, 2 kids a mortgage and a car then on a hundred thousand a year you are going to have to budget tightly. That’s a sad reality.

    63
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    Mute Killjoy
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    Aug 20th 2013, 11:19 PM

    It’s unfortunate because there is no obvious solution.

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    Mute Kevin Gormley
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:35 PM

    Agree with @jason. Artificial as unemployment is high and not improving. Consumer sentiment is a huge factor in house prices and Philip never mentioned the fact that the majority have a vested interest in prices rising again. Careful Ireland bubbles burst quicker these days.

    63
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:19 PM

    Incorrect. As stated in the article, house prices are rising the most in Dublin. It’s in Dublin where most of the jobs are. Internal migration to Dublin is as important a factor as emigration at present. So it is being driven by supply and demand and is not ‘artificial’. Look at this: http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/08/01/get-up-to-dublin-and-get-a-job/

    15
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    Mute Kevin Gormley
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:59 PM

    @Ignoreland that is beside the point. You can’t boost an economy unless there are significant factors such as jobs growth. It shows that company’s are reducing expenses by cutting wages which shows that they are not optimistic about the economy. Like anyone who is Irish I want to see the economy doing well but for that to happen it has to be bolstered by something more than auctioneers pushing prices up so their industry does better.

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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:32 PM

    It is not artificial but it is one sided. Limited supply of homes in Dublin but as all development was focused on it for decades then it is where the jobs are. Crap public transport means commuting is a nightmare for most so you have to live close.

    There are enough high wage earners to meet the supply of houses for sale now but leaving very limited options for couples on less than a hundred a year. Crazy situation.

    11
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:13 PM

    The number of additions to the PRTB register will be the most interesting statistic.

    51
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    Mute Sacha Mahady
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:32 PM

    All the red thumbers who said I was wrong when I said 4 months ago that the bottom of the housing market was behind us will now complain that it’s rising too fast. Remember that 8%going up is less than 8% coming down. It’s still 50% less than 07 but people still going to shout about the negative points. Good houses will rise in good location best. Bad apts will stay stagnant in bad locations. New mortgage company’s will enter the market and interest rates will rise. Inflation must and will be controlled better this time.

    46
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    Mute Alan Conroy
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:33 PM

    one of the major tools in controlling inflation is interest rate levels and its one of the things we’ve no control over

    40
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    Mute Paul Nolan
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:06 PM

    Wait I’m confused are we allowed blame enda if something good happens?

    39
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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:13 PM

    House prices rising faster than inflation and wage increases is nothing to be celebrated… where have you been for the last twenty years?

    99
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    Mute Solbank Sabadell
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Loser troll Nolan honestly nothing good ever comes from a traitor

    29
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    Mute Reg
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:56 PM

    Nothing good about high house prices. Less money for the rest of the economy.

    49
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    Mute CD
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:57 PM

    According to today’s Indo, the number of mortgages issued in the first six months of this year was down 10% on the same period last year. At the same time the average value of mortgages issued also fell… How can this possibly equate to property market stabilisation and growth…

    56
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    Mute Reg
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    Aug 20th 2013, 2:04 PM

    I think the problem with the CSO figures CD is that there is a very low level of transactions at the moment and averages can be easily skewed by a relatively few high value sales.

    36
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    Mute Sacha Mahady
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    Aug 20th 2013, 2:46 PM

    The LTV is now lower due to savers waiting for the market to bottom out. Summer is always slow for sales but to be too blunt a soft winter has certainly reduced executor sales and although we don’t control int rates it will be monitored. As for high house prices not good what are you talking about. It’s still half what it was. Keep predicting rain. I promise you will be right eventually.

    15
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    Mute GatheringYourMoney13
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    Aug 20th 2013, 9:16 PM

    Ha Ha
    Investec!
    The parent company of the reckless Subprime lender (of last resort) Start Mortgages.
    What a load of Spin!
    The REAL fundamentals still don’t stack up.

    4
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    Mute GatheringYourMoney13
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    Aug 20th 2013, 9:30 PM

    Douglas Newman And Good the nationwide chain of estate agents conceded that the majority of these sales in south Dublin were to cash buyer, rich farmers buying “a property for their kids for when they go to college in Dublin”.
    More like trying to avoid all their money getting wiped out in a Cyprus style cash grab.

    8
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    Mute GatheringYourMoney13
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    Aug 20th 2013, 9:32 PM

    Skewed statistics.
    Pull the other one.
    Spruikers!

    3
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    Mute GatheringYourMoney13
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    Aug 20th 2013, 10:52 PM

    Dublin “driving”
    “continued”
    “growth” of property prices
    “House prices “across Ireland” rose by 2.3 per cent over the last year with Dublin achieving growth levels of 8 per cent”???

    What a load of rubbish!!!
    What a load of spin!!!
    From Start Mortgages II.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2007/0530/89517-investec/

    http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/new-lender-to-shake-up-mortgage-market-29511750.html

    6
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    Mute GatheringYourMoney13
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    Aug 20th 2013, 11:06 PM

    What other good advice have you got for us today Mr Invetec/Start Mortgages?

    How many of your mortgages are in arrears Today Mr Invetec/Start Mortgages?
    90 – 95%?

    You should have your banking licence revoked Mr Invetec/Start Mortgages!!!!

    Predators!!!

    http://blogs.myhome.ie/2012/09/19/seven-in-ten-home-loans-in-trouble-at-start-mortgages/

    3
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    Mute 1 Human Being
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:51 PM

    Somebody pulling figures out of there derrière again. Lets get the Celtic tiger to kick off again a good old boom bust boom. Their is a joke in there somewhere…………. Oh yeah the Irish electorate they are the joke if they keep falling for this bullplop.

    35
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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 2:45 PM

    House prices are rising quiet significantly in South Dublin. Very limited supply and enough people to fight over them. Not much good if you have a joint income of less than 100k but that doesn’t change the price growth.

    28
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    Mute Coffee
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    Aug 20th 2013, 4:41 PM

    Its kind of shit that if you earn less then 90/100k you have to move to wicklow or dublin north :(

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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:29 PM

    Coffee. Even in much of the North city 90-10k a year for a family of 4 working etc will mean a very very quiet life.

    Dublin is destroying itself by making it unaffordable for most people to live there.

    16
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    Mute James Keane
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    Aug 20th 2013, 6:34 PM

    As someone who has been looking to buy for the past 2 months and has been actively bidding in West Dublin and North Kildare I can tell you there has been a serious jump in prices for decent houses.
    The supply of good quality 3/4 bed homes in the capital is very low due to no construction for the past 5 years and everyone who has such a house won’t move or put it up for sale for two reasons:

    - The paid way over the odds back in the boom for it and would make a loss
    - They don’t want to sell now as they want to hold out for more price increases

    This lack of supply is sending Dublin prices upwards, fast. I have bid on 3 separate houses and they have all gone for over the asking price. Fortunately I have since sorted something.

    Bottom line: We need to start building again at sustainable levels. Good family homes, not knocked together shite apartments that are good for nothing.

    33
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    Mute martin freyne
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:21 PM

    If Beer goes up we complain
    If Food goes up we complain
    If Petrol goes up we complain
    but, if Property goes up we all think its great

    Great for who?

    .

    30
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    Mute Simon King
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    Aug 20th 2013, 2:06 PM

    Could it be the ‘dead cat bounce’ finally??

    25
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    Mute Joe Harney
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:10 PM

    Why is this news??? The CSO property price index does not include cash sales so it can never be used as a true indication of the property market. Has anybody analysed house prices using the property price register? This should contain prices for all transactions and would be truer reflection of the state of the market.

    20
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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Aug 20th 2013, 7:48 PM

    We Irish are slow learners, apparently.

    Higher residential property prices are detrimental to society, absorbing as they do, an excessively high proportion of earned income.

    Too much of Ireland’s economic resources have been displaced into residential property to the disadvantage of more economically productive purposes.

    Ultimately, we would all benefit if the cost of housing was much cheaper. But the Irish obsession with property ownership and speculation with inadequate security of tenure for renters has created an ongoing unhealthy problem in the Irish economy and in Irish society.

    Higher property prices suits developers, banks, property professional and the public exchequer.

    The younger generations who have been foisted with the cost of the bank bail out and the consequences of the Great Mortgage Scam may not even ultimately benefit from cheaper priced housing. The irony. It’s not exactly inter generational fairness.

    So, we may actually seen another speculative boom in property prices. Interesting!

    15
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    Mute Dan Walsh
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:31 PM

    Good, now maybe rents will come down again.

    9
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    Mute R H Beige Lark
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    Aug 20th 2013, 1:48 PM

    Only when they start building more houses. Demand is there but the developers aren’t getting the credit and the profit is so much less than it once was – Thankfully.
    Hopefully the building will start again at a much more sustainable level – with proper planning – and then yes, rents will come down.
    On the other hand I could be shooting for the moon saying that.

    19
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    Mute Billie Hetfield
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:10 PM

    I think Tommy has a question. :D

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    Mute Dylan_Phone
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:37 PM

    Dublin and parts of Cork city, still lots of demand.

    7
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    Mute Dan Walsh
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    Aug 20th 2013, 5:48 PM

    Sorry Tommy, what was your question again?

    31
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    Mute mecanicalrat
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    Aug 20th 2013, 3:22 PM

    Just the people with money left buying up big houses wait until they start buying smaller houses for a real reflection on property values…. Anyway what does it matter in the greater scheme of things if you are locked to where you bought in 2005/2008 still paying twice what your neighbour is just beacuse they are 5 years younger than you..something needs to give with negative equity…. If this portion of people’s loans was addressed it would free up a lot of money that could be spent on the real economy

    8
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    Mute Andrew Potts
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    Aug 20th 2013, 9:48 PM

    It is just dreadful that our Governments have the attitude that housing is a profit centre and policy is centred around this idea. Essentially shelter is a basic human need and policy should reflect this with every decision,

    8
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    Mute Jim Lenihan
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    Aug 20th 2013, 9:02 PM

    house prices are going down not up how many times have we heard them lies

    6
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    Mute James Keane
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    Aug 20th 2013, 6:35 PM

    Further to my recent comment, the banks are actually lending now. Specifically PTSB.

    4
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