Sir, – “More than two-thirds of people are living in homes too big for their needs, says ESRI report” (News, March 27th).
My wife and I are two of these people.
We worked long and hard, often in two jobs each, to build and live in our home. We paid tax on every cent we earned.
Maybe this answers the ESRI report. – Yours, etc,
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DENIS O’SULLIVAN,
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – Denis O’Donohue (Letters, March 29) is on the button to query the view we should give up our homes for the young and be moved to reduced spaces somewhere. This apparently sensible re-use of the built-home estate needs to include essential social factors for the seniors, not just the young.
Whatever about the golf club or Bertie the budgie next door, the major issue would be enabling continuity with family, friends, and the support fabric of neighbours, church, local clubs, even familiar shops, and so on.
We cannot be expected to abandon our social base to start new connections in our retirement years.
A realistic formula needs to be long term to encompass these essential social aspects, and can be better achieved by designing housing for three-generational family units, whereby the senior folk do not need to move out, but shift to the ground floor in-built apartment, leaving their own family, or renters, to settle in upper floors. Where space already exists to add “granny”flats, incentivising grants or mortgage structures for the new family could stimulate some add-on homes. Three-generation home design, in addition to achieving better land use, also has the potential to enable home care for ageing parents, or for childcare options, which are also scarce and costly economic issues. – Is mise,
LIAM O’CEALLAIGH,
Baile Átha Cliath 5.
Sir, – It’s rather dispiriting to read the casual disregard for apartment living from those who admit to “owning houses too large for their needs”.
The main reason I live in an apartment is because of the year I was born.
By the time I was of home-buying age, house prices had escalated to a level beyond my means.
This was mainly due to low interest rates, poor infrastructure and planning and a booming economy resulting in population increase.
Despite paying a high rate of tax and PRSI, I am conscious that I will not enjoy the relative generous pensions of the older generation who, as any actuary will tell you, have simply not paid for their own pensions but are benefitting from the work and taxes of the next generation.
As regards gardens, at least I’m lucky in this respect as I have the wonderful Phoenix Park and the War Memorial Gardens with access to the Liffey on my doorstep, without the hassle of gardening. I will try to remember this when I have to listen to a propertied pensioner protesting a potential downsizing incentive. – Yours, etc,
PAUL KEAN,
Dublin 8.