Sir, – There is no doubting that Robert Watt, the outgoing secretary general at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, is a good man who has the public interest to the absolute forefront of his mind. But I do have to take issue with his broad generalisation that, "the property industry wants an equity scheme because it will increase prices" ("Government ignored repeated warnings that ¤75 million housing scheme would increase prices", News, January 7th).
In terms of motivation of the vast majority of people I know in the property industry, nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, they want to do business and to get on with their lives, but they also want affordable sustainable homes of all tenures for all young people.
The debate should be on viability and data, and not on perceived motivation.
Believe it or not, it is possible to be both in business, and to have a civic sense of responsibility. – Yours, etc,
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IVAN GAINE,
Managing Director,
Sherry FitzGerald
New Homes,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin 4.