Voice for generation locked out of housing market’ Fine Gael candidate lives in €730,000 house in different constituency
Philip Ryan
May 27 2021 03:51 PM
Fine Gael’s Dublin Bay South candidate and self-styled ‘voice for the generation locked out of the housing market’ James Geoghegan lives in a €730,000 house in another constituency.
Mr Geoghegan has pitched his by-election campaign at young people struggling to get their foot on the property ladder due to soaring costs of rent and unaffordable house prices in Dublin.
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However, the Price Property Register shows the Fine Gael barrister and his wife bought a house three years ago in Clonskeagh in South County Dublin for €730,000.
House prices in Dublin have risen 2.8pc in the last year with the median price in the capital now standing at €390,000 and rising to €540,000 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
While he is running to be elected in Dublin Bay South, Mr Geoghegan’s home in the neighbouring Dublin Rathdown constituency.
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The Dublin City councillor was questioned at a public meeting recently over why he gives the impression he lives in the Dublin Bay South Fine Gael heartland of Ranelagh when he is living in another constituency.
Mr Geoghegan defended himself, saying he grew up in Ranelagh and insisted he never said he is currently living there.
If elected he would not be the first Dublin TD representing a constituency they do not live in.
In response to queries about whether he can still be the voice of people locked out of the property market when he owns an almost three quarters of million euro family home, Mr Geoghegan said: “My wife and I are both self-employed and are working hard to raise a family.”
“We have been fortunate to be able to get a mortgage to buy a home near to where we are both from,” he added.
“My campaign is focused on three key priorities, one of which is ensuring more homes are built for young people so we can overcome this generational crisis. Ireland has always been a country that provides equality of opportunity and I want to ensure that this never changes.”
The councillor said he wants to deliver affordable homes for younger people and noted he voted in favour of the O’Devaney Gardens development in Dublin 7 while Sinn Féin did not support the planning application.
