Madam, - Cllr Mick Rafferty expresses fears about some areas becoming "yuppified" as a result of Dublin City Council's decision to sell its stock of flats to tenants (The Irish Times, August 13th). This only highlights, once again, why councillors are becoming less relevant within the body politic.
The right to buy is a very positive social inclusion measure. It will give residents a sense of awareness and more of an incentive to become involved in community and estate issues. And it enables people on low incomes to acquire an asset.
The money raised as a result of the sale of flats must not go into the Central Exchequer. This would be unfair; it must go back into the City Council budget and be spent on social housing.
Many residents have invested a lot of money in improving their homes. Many have lived in their current homes for up to 50 years. It is only fair that they should have the option of taking full responsibility for their homes into their own hands.
The council's house tenant purchase scheme has led to stability in areas where large-scale investment failed to bring the stability required for a community to flourish.
The council will now be able to concentrate on more proactive and strategic issues surrounding housing in the city. At the same time the sale of council flats must not - and, I believe, will not - reduce the council's responsibility to provide for people with low incomes. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr CHRIS ANDREWS,
City Hall,
Dublin 2.