I wrote to the Irish government, Brian Cowen to be precise, back in June of this year. The subject of my letter was the lack of regulation in the property marketplace, despite the formation of the NPSRA (National Property Services Regulatory Authority). The requirement to register with the authority and prove that you have a valid estate agent’s licence aren’t likely to make potential fraudsters quake in their boots. The potential consequence of being struck off the NPSRA regsiter aren’t exactly calamitous either.
I got a reply from the Taoiseach’s office as follows:
Hi David/Elaine/Brian,
I’m guessing that if the Minister for Finance cared in any way about this matter he’d have issued a response by now. He hasn’t so, I’ll have to presume that it is a topic which doesn’t interest him, or your government, in the slightest. It’s a great pity and something which will be registered on my blog for future reference. Your lack of empathy is disappointing but not unexpected. It’s what has us in the mess in which we currently reside.
Yours sincerely,
Diarmaid.
I’m currently writing up a very similar letter which I’ll send to Brian Lenihan directly, but I won’t be holding my breath for a reply.
If I don’t get a reply eventually I’ll just put the letter in its entirety on my blog for public consumption, I may as well, because at that stage I’ll have no doubt that this government cares not a jot what happens to its citizens when they invest outside of Ireland (or even in it for that matter in many instances).
Diarmaid
