“I Find It Disgusting 99% Of The Population Owns 73% Of The Wealth” – Bill Badbody

FOLLOWING a new Oxfam report which found that 1% of Irish society now owns more than a quarter of the country’s wealth, WWN property editor and multi-millionaire landlord Bill Badbody explains why he is disgusted that the elite doesn’t own more.

For the love of Bono, where do I even start with this nauseating fact? How can so many poor people own such a large proportion of the country’s money and continue to get away with it? Most of these people can’t even afford to live yet somehow they have accumulated nearly three quarters of the nation’s wealth. This is dangerous and also very unfair on us elite – the minority.

For too long now wealthism has been festering in Irish society. Investment funds and corporate landlords like me have been vilified in the media. Somehow now we’re the bad guys while the 99% continue to get free council homes, healthcare, discounts on their energy bills and even more infuriating, rent vouchers. Thankfully on the latter most of my properties are cash only and not registered with the RTB, but still, it’s the thought that hurts.

Despite their faults, the housing minister along with local councils are doing a fantastic job of keeping housing supply down and allowing us to keep rents high – I’ll give them that – but it doesn’t cover up the fact the plebs still own the vast majority of homes in Ireland and that’s criminal.

And yes, I understand us 1% have gained 70 times more wealth than the bottom 50% in the last 10 years, but at this rate it will take us decades to own everything and acquire full control of the state as opposed to just partially influencing politicians and government officials with promises of lucrative roles post-office.

I yearn for the day when can just sit back in the shadows and pull the political blue and red strings of “democracy” while hoarding all the wealth, like they do in the states. Of course, Ireland is always 50 years behind the rest of the civilised world.

I wait with bated breath.