Co-housing could be a solution for our elderly
THE Government is dropping bombshells around housing and has still not come up with the proper solution. Ministers should examine co-housing and test it for the 60-years-plus market.
How many of you out there would take a risk and go on a new adventure? Why not the design of a very large house, with perhaps nine units upstairs of private space. This would leave the ample ground floor space to be shared in a socially fluid lifestyle.
The important consideration would be one main entrance. The reason for this is because even at our age people are shy to knock on someone’s door.
The ground floor would consist of a large kitchen, if shared meals were the order of the day.
It would also be important to have two small kitchens for when the mood takes you, a comfortable large sitting room, a couple of snug areas for quite space and the essential laundry room and larders.
A hot favourite would be the library and games room, being never short of instant companionship to have a game of poker, bridge, Scrabble or even snap. An art room would be specifically laid out, to allow your paintings dry properly and be ready for the next day so you can continue with your inspirational work.
And why not introduce a book club as well? Lively discussions would ensue.
We all want to keep as fit as possible so the gym room would be the place for that. And thinking of meal time, when the fancy takes you, have a shared cooking experience, nice wine. On a winter’s night select a good DVD or watch Netflix because of course there would be a mini cinema room. Stay up till 2am, get up the next day mid-afternoon, or up with the lark, whichever you wish. There is no one ‘in charge’.
So how could you achieve that lifestyle? Take an interest and commit. Your rambling house – if you own one – could be rented out while you test the waters and take a rental in co-housing, with an option to purchase.
Moreover this could be the answer to some of the housing problems where a considerable number of homes are occupied by just one person. LAURA GRIMES,
by email.
Climate know-nothings
THE new Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action has some members who have no environmental background, and this is reflected in some of the ‘advisers’ to the politicians who don’t seem to have much of a clue either.
Adding to the concern is the Taoiseach’s statement to the Dáil in which he indicated he was still of the opinion that growing more coniferous trees is the ever-ready answer to the problem.
The fact is that planting the sitka spruce is analogous to planting palm tree oil in the Amazon – it is ‘bioadverse’ not biodiverse friendly.
Our species-rich marginal wetland habitats in the west of Ireland are being degraded by this sitka spuce weed, and it offsets the natural carbon sequestration by the wetland plant species.
It is not compatible with the terms of reference of selected species under the Kyoto Protocol due to its acidic nature etc.
It’s time now for the politicians and advisers to consult the expertise in this field, and I can think of no person more worthy to consult than Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn of UCD who has the experience and has done academic research into the damage that sitka spruce trees are doing to surface waters and biodiversity in general.
Politicians may not understand science but that is not a reason to argue against it.
IAN HESTER, Ballymacurley, Co. Roscommon.
EU army incoming
INTERESTING times lie ahead for the 32 counties of Ireland.
The following analysis of the EU/Britain political outcome is how I see it.
For over one hundred years, Germany has always desired/craved to be the head of a European empire.
Two wars with Britain did not achieve Germany’s dream, so Germany changed tactics, starting with a Common Market, before progressing to the present European Union. The talks taking place between Barnier & Co, and May & Co will end up in Barnier’s favour, while Britain and the British people will remain shackled to the European Union, of that I have no doubt.
Both Macron and Merkel, i.e. France and Germany, are united in desiring to have a united European Union Armed Force.
This is according to President Macron’s own words.
He said that Europe needs an armed force to take on China, Russia or the United States of America, President Trump was not amused, when President Macron said this in front of him.
When the European Union gets its armed force, citizens of any European country will then become eligible to be conscripted as and when required by the laws of the European Union.
As for the people of Northern Ireland, (giving its present status), they will find themselves between a rock and a hard place.
Do they finally vote for a thirty 32 county independent Ireland, or accept a Britain governed by the European Union ? All I can say is thank goodness I am 83 years of age. HARRY STEPHENSON,
Kircubbin, Co. Down.