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Clockwise from top left: Sally, Alf, Hayley, Irene and Donald aka Fisher aka Flathead PA Wire

Ireland's 30-year love affair with Home & Away A shot of vitamin D in our poxy winter

The Australian soap has become a must-watch in many households. But what has given this Aussie rollercoaster such a warm place in Irish hearts? Emer McLysaght investigates ahead of the show’s 30th birthday tomorrow.

river4ever / YouTube

THE NAMES AOIFE and Siobhán Dowling should be written into the Irish history books.

The sisters might not ring a bell with you now, but maybe one day they’ll be remembered for a noble and heroic deed; bringing Home and Away to Ireland.

“Mum worked at RTÉ and we teens were shown a few episodes to see if it had any appeal,” Siobhan Dowling recalls.

“We totally wanted to know what happened next… and the rest is history.”

Aoife Dowling chimes in, “Except we tried to convince Mum not to schedule it as competition to Neighbours, because we would be forced to choose. We didn’t win that one. Something about that being the whole point of buying it.”

The sisters are now in their 40s, and have moved on from Summer Bay, but their involvement saw Home and Away written into the RTÉ schedule, and into the nation’s hearts.

RTÉ was the very first international broadcaster to buy the soap from the Seven Network in Australia, and began showing it in the late 1980s.

(Here is Ian Dempsey discussing with actor Greg Benson why Home & Away is actually better and how Kylie Minogue’s sister was due to join the show. Subtle from RTÉ.)

killianM2 / YouTube

Today, it’s still going strong, with the national broadcaster screening it in the early afternoon on RTÉ One and then again in its traditional 6.30pm slot on RTÉ Two.

It remains one of RTÉ’s most popular dramas and is particularly sought after as “catch-up telly”; it was streamed 5.6 million times on the RTÉ Player last year, second only to Fair City.

Home and Away has a place deep in Irish popular culture. It’s been there for almost 30 years.

This week I posted a tweet, interested in people’s memories of the show.

The responses came in a deluge that could rival one of Summer Bay’s many, many, many natural disasters. A floodgate of characters and storylines and recollections opened and is still going.

Tweet by @EmerTheScreamer EmerTheScreamer / Twitter EmerTheScreamer / Twitter / Twitter

One recalled “being terrified of Alf’s sister Morag, confused at the new Pippa, and devastated at the loss of Shane”. Another remembers “when Tasha arrived in the Bay”.

Washed up on the beach like a mermaid with amnesia and speaking Pig Latin.

And another would spend school holidays playing on the street but “at 6.25 everyone would rush in to watch it and then come back out at 7 to discuss it”.

This went on all summer, they said.

But what has given this Ozzie rollercoaster such a warm place in Irish hearts? What catapulted it into so many homes and left such a lasting legacy and memories people can conjure up in an instant, like “when Ailsa saw Bobby’s ghost in the fridge” or “when Sophie couldn’t read and everyone only found out when she electrocuted herself in the Surf Club”?

I give you two words: The Channels.

Ireland of the late eighties (and well into the nineties, to be fair) was split into the Haves and the Have Nots; those who had access to the opulent worlds of BBC and Channel Four, and those who made do with RTÉ One and Two (joined later by TG4 and TV3).

For those in the latter category, here was an exciting, exotic world of danger, romance and foster kids. It didn’t really matter if you didn’t have BBC One to watch Neighbours, Home and Away was better anyway, so there!

Tweet by @Jane Jane / Twitter Jane / Twitter / Twitter

Author Anna Carey did have The Channels, and was still more drawn to Home and Away, perhaps because it was seen as “cooler” than Neighbours.

“I think because of Tom and Pippa’s vast foster family caravan park and the school stuff it felt more like a teen drama.”

It became a staple in many lives and households. Long-time fan Mary-Kate Murphy started watching when she was eight or nine.

“It meant dinner time in our house. We would all beg Mum to bring our dinner to the sitting room to watch it.”

Louise Keegan still watches to this day but remembers “sneaking in to watch it on the crappy portable telly in my parents’ room when I was supposed to be studying. My Dad asking me and my sister did we watch ‘that bloody rubbish’ and sounding very like Alf Stewart when he did it”.

Some of the parents of Ireland were more than a little perturbed by this high-octane drama. Home and Away was the only show I ever remember my own Dad expressing concern over me watching, having walked in during a racy moment between Blake and Finlay.

Others recall being forbidden to watch because Bobby had uttered the word “bitch”.

Another was told to turn it off because there was “too much fighting” in it.

SummerBayJournal / YouTube

Of course, all this did was make it more appealing. In its heyday it influenced so many aspects of young Irish life.

One fan tweeted that “we named two new calves Shane and Angel”.

Another said “two girls in primary school took Angel and Finlay as their confirmation names”.

Hazel O’Toole recalls every pair of 16 year olds in 1996 fighting over who got to be Shannon and who got to be Selina.

Schools were breeding grounds for Home and Away fandom.

A number of schools even allowed students to watch the lunchtime episode on the premises.

PastedImage-51447 Clockwise from top left: Selina, Leah, Marilyn, Hayley, Irene, Flathead, Sally and Alf PA Wire PA Wire

One fan recalls watching on a telly in the school’s religion room, while Cat on Twitter remembers “in my school the older kids would sneak the younger ones in their ‘older kids’ room that had a TV and all silently unite in watching the lunchtime Home and Away. Could hear a pin drop. Even the teachers would ask what happened in the next class”.

Rob O’Hanrahan says people would rush home to catch it too:

Our school lunch was from 1.10 to 2pm. Home and Away ran from 1.25 to 1.50. Everyone who went home for lunch watched it. One week it was delayed by 15 minutes because of horse racing. Over half the school was late back after lunch. It was at the height of the stalker storyline.

Colleges didn’t escape the Home and Away spell either. Former Waterford IT student Michael Corcoran said it was “like mass” for students.

“Our temple was the Dome Bar. So, at lunchtime it was called ‘Dome and Away’. Packed every day and silence throughout.”

DCU also had a Home and Away society until at least the late 2000s, with students gathering to watch episodes, go on Home and Away trips, and share their thoughts on dedicated message boards.

The popularity of the show into the noughties meant that online communities thrived. Katherine Kenny set up the Home and Away Ireland blog in 2007 “partly as an experiment in blogging and partly because we thought our Home and Away chat was so hilarious that it needed to be shared with the world”.

The site is defunct now but had a dedicated fan base at the time.

Home and Away can be remembered in terms of eras of characters or storylines.

Of course, there are the long timers like Sally, Flathead Fisher and, of course, Alf Stewart who is still on the show. But fans tend to remember the past three decades in terms of “the Bobby and Frank years”, or “Selina, Saul and the cult”, or the tragic “Shane and Angel saga”.

There were controversial and groundbreaking storylines, from alcoholism to drug abuse to sexual assault and teen pregnancy.

godjenta66 / YouTube

There was Old Pippa and New Pippa.

There was Replacement Selina.

There was an ever-rotating carousel of long-lost siblings (remember Sally’s imaginary friend Milko who actually turned out to be her brother, Miles?), disastrous weddings (Ben and Carly; Stephen and Selina) and paranormal activity (Bobby in the fridge; Stephanie’s ghost in the caravan park).

There was at least one disaster a year to facilitate a bit of cast turnover. Many a beloved character was washed away in a flood, killed in a fire, flung off a cliff or crushed in a car accident.

As fan Kayte O’Malley put it:

I loved the annual purge in the bush and Alf spearheading the rescue efforts.

One storyline that caused renewed interest in the show in more recent years was that of the Riverboys of Mangrove River, who in 2011 brought trouble and crime to Summer Bay led by the handsome and dangerous Darryl ‘Brax’ Braxton.

The popularity of Brax, played by actor Steve Peacocke, caught the eye of Irish man Simon Murdoch.

“I have a broadcasting and media background and around five years ago noticed how big the fanbase for those Riverboys characters was here. So, after some communication with their agent I organised Steve Peacocke’s first visit to Ireland.”

Peacocke’s arrival caused a mini frenzy, bringing crowds to nightclubs and appearances around the country.

PastedImage-41163 Home and Away Fans Ireland Home and Away Fans Ireland

Visits from other Home and Away stars followed. Ray Meagher, who plays the iconic Alf Stewart, was eager to come.

Murdoch says nightclubs weren’t the right environment for Ray, “even though he was well up for it”, and events more like An Evening With Ray Meagher were organised. He even went viral with this appearance at Cork’s Sober Lane:

Sober Lane / YouTube

Murdoch, who now runs the Facebook page Home and Away Fans Ireland, says the stars are well aware of Ireland’s grá for the show, although they’re often at a loss to explain it.

Just last month actor Orpheus Pledger – who currently plays Mason – was in Cork.

Dandy Promotions handled the visit and the company’s Andy Cronin reckons they’ve had 15 or so Home and Away stars in Cork over the past three years.

PastedImage-285 Dandy Promotions Dandy Promotions

Simon Murdoch says the show’s heritage in Ireland is undeniable. Personally, he thinks it’s down to the soap being the first of its kind to hit Irish TV, and because “30 years ago we started seeing these beautiful people on beaches and it was like a different world”.

Superfan Mary Kate Murphy agrees.

I was kind of dreamy as a kid, and just loved the idea of living in a sunny beachside place.

Louise Keegan says it’s “25 minutes in the day when I eat my dinner, put my phone away and just relax after work”.

It also feels like it’s a shot of vitamin D in the poxy Irish winter, which I crave.

An enduring memory Irish people have of Home and Away is being sick off school, and getting to watch the same episode twice in one day, just in case you missed something the first time.

Well, RTÉ is still showing those two episodes, just in case you fancied a cheeky day on the couch any time soon…

Johnstown Railway / YouTube

Emer McLysaght is a freelance writer and co-author of the bestselling novel Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling

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    Mute Conor
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:03 PM

    Pointless exercise. Chap is a bullshit merchant.

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    Mute Brian MacCarthaigh
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:06 PM

    When’s he going to stop vulture funds raping our citizen’s???

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:45 PM

    It won’t happen on Coveney’s watch, he’s a proven spoofer.

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    Mute Tra Hughes
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:20 PM

    Minister, according to the last census there are tens of thousands of empty/unused dwellings. Is there anything in place to make owners of such properties release same, make it a less attractive option.

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    Mute Fred Johnson
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:41 PM

    Yes there is. Make it much easier to evict tenants who aren’t bothering to pay their rent.

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    Mute Tra Hughes
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:47 PM

    Vacant dwellings don’t have tenants Fred.

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:26 PM

    Reduce capital gains tax. It’s just not worth selling for so many

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    Mute Pat Patovic
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    Jan 12th 2017, 1:22 AM

    @Tra Hughes: Define “release”.

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    Mute Charlie Melia
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    Jan 12th 2017, 4:53 AM

    Freddy testicle brain above gave the best laugh of this ridiculously scripted interview / FG Party Political Broadcast

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    Mute Charlie Melia
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    Jan 12th 2017, 4:57 AM

    @Tra Hughes: Easy to make them release. Any residential dwelling lying idle for over a year should be taxed at 3-5% of total value every year. Force them to sell or get a tenant. Similar to what is being done with commercial and land banks… There is also a derelict building law which means the Councils can take the houses over, already there for councils to use……

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    Mute Pat Patovic
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    Jan 13th 2017, 12:12 AM

    @Charlie Melia: So you want this country to change to communist dictatorship with no regards to private rights or ownership.

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    Mute tom
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:36 PM

    Build aforable and social houses today. If developers aren’t interested then state should directly employ builders to build.

    109
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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:19 PM

    Completely agree. That is the only solution.

    Builders will never build houses for people who can’t afford to buy them. It really is that simple.

    Coveney is trying to force up property values (by jacking up rents and yields) in order to release those in negative equity and encourage them to spend money due to the perceived wealth effect. This is a central part of their economic recovery plan. This ‘recovery’ is as false as the boom conditions it is trying to mimic. It’s worse still because there is no wall of credit available to maintain it if even for a few years.

    In order to force up prices the construction supply has been strangled, migration into the country has been ramped up, rural depopulation is enforced through lack of employment, and then he expects the working poor to save for deposits to but ‘affordable’ housing? It’s never going to happen and these policies need to be reversed immediately.

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:27 PM

    God no! Look at the mess Alan Kelly made. Reduce tax for builders building social housing. Try an incentive for private enterprises

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    Mute Redcaff
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:16 PM

    Why don’t the government or IDA give incentives to companies to allow some staff to work from home, but only if they move away from Dublin to a rural location (i.e. Where the person is actually from).

    This would free up housing stock while repopulating rural Ireland, keeping shops, pubs and even towns open.

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    Mute PaulJ
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:27 PM

    Do you realise how bad broadband is in most rural areas?

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    Mute Linda Nolan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:11 PM

    When are they going to build?

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    Mute Barnes
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:04 PM

    How many Ministers and TD’s are landlords themselves?

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:09 PM

    @Barnes:

    I think its 20%, according to a recent survey. 1 in 5.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:23 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: That was an incomplete survey. The correct figure is in excess of 30%.

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/nearly-one-in-five-tds-are-landlords-registry-shows-399892.html

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:44 PM

    Also worth noting that when asked a number of TDs and Ministers have in the past failed to reveal that they were landlords (including Minister Simon Coveney).

    http://www.broadsheet.ie/2015/12/09/forget-something-2/

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:02 PM

    @Coles:

    Thought it might be higher alright. Then when you add in the scene they move about in….

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    Mute Charlie Melia
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    Jan 12th 2017, 4:07 AM

    @Barnes: As with their Cllr colleagues most property is either corruptly undeclared or transferred in their spouse name therefore hiding these assets from scrutiny. Here in Wicklow we have several Cllrs and at least one TD who have dones this hiding millions in assets from public declarations of interests and assets……

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    Mute Ultan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:19 PM

    Will he the very least get these vulture funds to pay proper tax? Will he cap rent to reduce the profit these companies can make and maybe leave us alone? €2800 a month on rent is absolutely madness.

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    Mute Science of beer
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:23 PM

    Holey moley €2800 a month on rent. Where are you living?

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    Mute Ro Brett
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:52 AM

    @Science of beer: Anywhere in D1 to 12. Tho its generally closer to 1200 per room now than 1400.

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    Mute Adrian
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:41 PM

    When is he going to resign? And none of this “I’m not a quitter guff”. The reality is he’s just not capable.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:48 PM

    @Adrian:

    Spot on. Look at the mess he left our fishing industry in.

    Plus as a landlord himself I’ve no trust in his motives with regard to this issue. He needs to go, not in a few months time as is the mantra of this government but now.

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    Mute tom
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:55 AM

    As a landlord with vested interest he should step aside

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:23 PM

    Coveney said that the 4% rent increase rate was set “to give investors a decent return”

    Stop for a second and look at how headline rent relates to the rate of return on investment.

    If a landlord is currently making a ‘decent’ return on investment of 4% and then increases the headline rent by 4% per annum over 3 years the “decent return on investment” actually becomes in excess of 15%per annum.

    Don’t confuse the headline rent and the return on investment. Very different things. Coveney knows this and is deliberately misleading people in order to enrich landowners.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:32 PM

    Red thumbs? Why?

    Do the maths. It’s fairly simple.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:51 PM

    @Coles:

    The drones in the Mount St basement bunker are scrambling to red thumb every negative comment and it looks like they’re in for a busy night.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:06 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: Yeah, it was funny to watch. 10 immediate red thumbs on a point of fact that can’t even be disputed.

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    Mute Kieran O'Sullivan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:42 PM

    @Coles.
    Your maths do not add up. If the yield is 4% and the rent goes up 4% a year for 3 years and the property value remains static. After the years the yield is 4.5% not 16%. And that assumes the Propery price does not increase.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:54 PM

    Thanks Keiran, but let’s look at the figures.

    For ease of calculation let’s assume a rent of €1000 is giving a ‘decent rate of return of 4%’ and is clearing €40 profit on the investment per month.

    If that rent is increased by 4% in the first year the rent is now €1040. Because of 0% CPI the profit has now increased to €80 per month. The return on investment has doubled to 8%.

    If in the second year the rent is increased by a further 4% the rent is now €1080 per month. The profit has now increased to €120 per month and is giving a return of 12% on the investment.

    Repeat this a third year and the rent is now €160 and the return on investment is 16%.

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    Mute David Thomas
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:16 PM

    Maybe the just don’t get maths coles.

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    Mute Kieran O'Sullivan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:50 PM

    @coles, normally yield is used, but lets use your method. 1000 per month at 5% yield suggests a property value of 240,000. So using your methodology we are making 40 Euro a month profit on 240,000 in deployed capital. Or an annual return of 480 euro on 240,000 investment. Or .002%

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    Mute Kieran O'Sullivan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:32 PM

    @coles the basic mistake you are making is how you think the 1000 per month is the investment and 40 euros profit is the return on the investment. Incorrect, the price paid for the property is the investment. The rent is the EBITA return on investment.

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    Mute Linda Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:04 AM

    @Kieran O’Sullivan: That was educational thanks.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:27 PM

    Ask Minister Coveney when Fine Gael intend to suspend their policy of forcing up house prices.

    When he denies it remind him of this:

    http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/theres-no-housing-bubble-michael-noonan-wants-prices-to-rise-30168455.html

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    Mute prop joe
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:33 PM

    Why all the empty property? Why is lpt not paid for vacant property? Why not charge for having empty units. The tallest building in the country in nearly entirely empty. Apart from the staff turning lights on, to make it look like someone is living there.

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:09 PM

    I don’t want to rent I want to buy. I might as well buy rather than rent. If i rent im just paying someone else mortgage. 3.5 times mortgage limit needs to be raised. 10% deposit is handy enough though.

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    Mute Liam John Bradshaw
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:26 PM

    Vulture funds have soared the property’s, their a business investment company’s, in Sandy Ford alone they have 2 blocks of apartments with 2 bed properties going for €2,800 per month. The Government let the Vulture Capitalists in & have now lost the battle for the housing!

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    Mute Shane Corry
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:29 PM

    Not a great interviewer, would be great to actually be able to hear more than a few words of his answers before he’s interrupted! What’s the point of asking a question and not waiting for the answer..

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    Mute Alan Ball
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:43 PM

    I took the time to absorb as much as possible of the ministers replies and to be honest it became pretty clear very early on, that this was no more than a lightweight interview with questions put to the minister that had clearly been rehearsed or at the very least agreed upon beforehand.Typical journal ass licking exercise. Pointless to be honest.

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    Mute Karl Monaghan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:54 PM

    How is it Minister, you can fix rent, but you can’t reduce mortgage interest rates or car insurance gouging as this is interference in a “free market”????

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    Mute Niall Cassidy
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:38 PM

    This excuse for a minister along with his colleagues do not give a damn about the welfare of anybody.

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:00 PM

    1. Is there a maximum commercial yield to which any any landlord should be entitled is respect of any residential rentred property?

    2. Should landlords be entitled to evict sitting tenants when selling residential rental properties?

    3. Why are there better balanced landlord and tenant laws protecting residential tenants and longer term security of tenure in all other EU countries compared to Ireland?

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    Mute David Cullen
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:11 PM

    i know this is a difficult concept for the government to understand but build council houses simple

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 11th 2017, 7:33 PM

    ” Coveney launched a major plan” ah lost interest in the article after reading that. If I got €1 for every major plan that various governments have had over the years I’d be retired and living in the Bahamas….

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    Mute MattCz
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:28 PM

    The government could increase supply if they taxed 2nd home housing income at 90%+. Would he consider introducing such a measure? This would also emphasise that dwellings are a construct for living in and not for making money.

    Does he have any plans to tackle short-term rentals like Airbnb?

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    Mute Is Mise jay
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:01 PM

    Can you explain how that would increase supply?? It would actually do the opposite in fact

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    Mute Nick Drake
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:32 PM

    What is the plan for non first time buyers, we’re constantly hearing of plans for first time buyers, but nothing people who had a home now rent, and maybe would like to buy again.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:16 PM

    Pointless exercise that!

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    Mute Eoin Cowan
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:28 PM

    Simon Coveney’s hairline is as disconnected as he is from the reality!

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    Mute Sam
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:50 PM

    Just listened to the interview with minister covney. Shocking is the only way to describe it. The journalist spent the first 12 minutes talking about Apollo house, did I miss something here, was this not supposed to be about renting and not homeless. She only asked 6 questions which were not priority to renters/ landlord. Coventry was long winded and some only in general terms hoping his wish list would come true. He was not asked why developers are not building and the cost of tax in construction. Why vulture funds are paying no tax on there investment. Why they have a capital gains free exit.Why are vulture funds getting 50℅ off the value and Irish citizens are discriminated against. Why an outside investor pays on 20 ℅ tax on rental income.With all the tax charges in renting has it not an effect on rental prices.Why are landlords paying 60℅ tax on rental income,of course this does not include 20℅ maintaince. Where is the money in it for landlords,why are there so many leaving this business. Why property tax is not included in a cost.There were so many important questions, it was an opportunity to seek answers but the journal failed. It very much appears from Coveny that renters must get used to renting as he appeared quite smug that this was the norm in Europe. Bluster,bluster and more bluster, i am more concerned now this man has not a clue about . Shame on the journalist for being so I’ll prepared and weak.

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:05 PM

    Bit late on the day for this but clearly fg are not fit for office and the homeless crisis has gotten worse by the day since you took office. Why not do the right thing and resign

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    Mute Stuart McHugh
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:20 PM

    Jesus that was awful.

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    Mute Pat Stuart
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:39 PM

    With marital breakdowns & homelessness, we now need smaller units or homes for people to move into. These homes should be built with single people or a couple in mind. They can be offered the homes on a trial period for 2 – 5 years, opting out if they decide to move on & purchase their own homes from 1-5 years as tenants & be entitled to a cash sum for freeing up a home. If they stay for the full tenancy period & build up a proper credit point rating with the local Councils they can then be moved on to a more permanent home. We don’t need people who rip their homes apart & expect the Council to put them back together for them free of charge. At the end of the 5 year period let them be judged by their Tenancy agreement with the Council & be awarded a better home when available.

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    Mute Lazlo Saint Pierre
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:20 PM

    Not a great interview but interesting to see if stands over his words considering he chose to do this interview, it’s not like he was acosted on the street. He had his answers prepared so they should carry some weight. I took some notes of the interview, paraphrasing mostly, don’t take it as being the exact words he used and review the video for clarification. One that struck me was the rent cap, 4% pa over 3 years – sure after the 3 years you calculate the loss, turf out the tenant, get a new one in and add on the loss from the 3 years? As I said these are his words, feel free to hold him to them.

    Homelessness/Apollo

    “It’s not just about beds, it’s also support, services, safety”

    “State needs to provide sufficient accomodation

    “Emphasis on social housing build program and getting homeless families into a home of their own”

    “20,000 homes to be built by NAMA by 2020″

    “. . . deliver on the promise to get people out of hotels by this summer (2017)”

    800 families in hotel accom is “not acceptable and we are going to change it”

    . . .not good enough that children are doing their homework in hotels and without kitchen facilities . . .

    “I will personally be involved in setting those targets and making sure we meet them (by the middle of the year)”

    We have a country now that has the resources available to it that should allow us to deal with this issue, my job is to force the pace and make it happen

    Rental Discussion

    Talks about the rent cap and the possibility of new rent cap zones based on RTB data

    “more importantly we need to get suppy up significantly”

    3300 Dublin apartments on AirBnb last summer – according to the reporter

    AirBnB properties will need to apply for change of use in planning if used for short term lets on a rolling basis

    We have commited as a gov to spending 5.3 Billion to add 47,000 social houses

    we have 1000′s of void local authority houses back in to use in last 2 years

    Mentions problem of over 65′s and rental problem, says FTB grant is working to improve this and allow people to buy a home, also CB rules on mortgages for FTB helps them also, and also mentioned Euro has culture of renting for life and Ireland could have the same, mentions a pension provison for over 65′s in the future possibly, rental market can change over time and become an option for long term renters

    Tyrellstown Amendment starts next week, if a vulture fund buys a group of apartments of more than 10 units the tenants are protected, tenancies stay intact under this amendment, law will not apply retrospectively in the case of Limerick situation so those tenants may have a problem

    “What we need to do is have a much more predictable calmer market,that has supply that meets demand, when we have a broken market the Gov needs to intervene to protect tenants and give certainty to LL’s, which is what we have done in the Rental Strategy, but ultimatley we need a lot more supply, in next 25 years a million more people, many will want to live in Dublin,and unless we find a way to build a lot more quality accomodation that is affordable for people, which is what we are focussing on, particularly in using public land, then we are going to have huge problems with commuting and traffic and congestion and all the other things that are all ready a probl;em in Dublin, supply supply supply in the right areas, high density and high quality in urban locations, thats what we are really trying to drive”

    Lending cap is imposed by CB, as it should be, they looked at trends and changed deposit requirement in recent weeks.

    Need much higher buildings in Dub, high quality urban living, green spaces, we need to deliver change, Im also the min for Planning, we need to do that over time, devolopers and funds are interested in investing in Dublin and other cities.

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    Mute Patricia McCarthy
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    Jan 11th 2017, 6:30 PM

    Is Coveney a Landlord himself? How many properties does he own and let?

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