Lessons in Storm Emma for bringing our communities together
■ One benefit of the recent nationwide closure over Storm Emma was neighbours meeting neighbours whose usual relationship consisted of no more than a brief wave hello or goodbye as they each drove to and from work.
Apparently this was replicated up and down the country, and this demonstrates how neighbours nowadays barely know each other.
Maybe it is time for our country to consider reducing or banning retailers opening on Sundays.
With the proliferation of online
shopping, surely opening on a Sunday is no longer essential. If all stores were closed, the money spent normally during the seven-day week would still be spent, but over a six-day week, which saves the retailers Sunday pay, light, heat etc.
France has laws limiting opening times on Sundays and it works quite well.
Family time and meeting the neighbours would be greatly enhanced.
Gordon McCabe
Castletroy, Co Limerick