GIVE RENTERS OUTDOOR SPACES

÷ THERE seems to be an apartment-building boom under way in Dublin. I’ve had to take my sister to a few medical appointments in the city over the past month, and I’ve been struck by just how many blocks are rising on what is often infill land. Leaving aside the fear that most, if not all, are destined for the rental market, something else is niggling me – very few of them appear to have balconies. If we have learned anything from the pandemic lockdown, surely it is that everyone needs outdoor space. Many people I know say the worst thing about lockdowns has been that they had to actually get dressed and go out just to get some heat on their faces and air in their lungs, when all they wanted to do was sit on a chair on a balcony and read a book. By law, every dwelling surely should have a personal outdoor space; it would be a fitting lesson to learn from all we have endured.