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Wed 05 May 2004Housing record criticisedHouse prices had trebled under Fianna Fáil and the PDs, Labour's deputy leader, Ms Liz McManus, said."In 1997, the average price of a house was €97,000. Now it is over €300,000, or more than 10 times the average industrial wage. House prices have increased by nine times the rate of inflation, five times the rate of increase in average earnings and four times the rate of increase in the cost of building."