Sir, – Michael Cullen wonders what possessed Danny Healy-Rae to talk up his idea of allowing people to drive home after two or three pints (July 4th).
The Healy-Raes have identified a real problem, although their solution may not be to everyone’s liking. The problem is that of loneliness of ageing rural dwellers arising from their isolation. They go to the pub for company, not for copious drafts of beer.
If, instead of having to make their way back to the farm at night, they lived or boarded in the local town or village, they could walk home. They would drive out to their farms to work during the day, returning in the evening, as happens in many European countries. There is plenty of accommodation in population centres around the country arising from closed businesses, emigration and ghost estates. If this situation could be engineered, the benefits would be considerable – easier access to medical treatment, access to evening entertainment, to supermarkets, to Sunday religious services. Personal security would be improved with a reduction in policing costs, not to mention postmen’s overtime from getting lost in country boreens. Could the GAA or relevant government department give some consideration to the suggestion? – Yours, etc,
COLUM MacDONNELL,
Gowrie Park,
Glenageary, Co Dublin.