Why don’t Irish people want to live in apartments? That’s the question posed by housing expert Lorcan Sirr who notes that just 13 per cent of Irish households live in an apartment or flat, while elsewhere in Europe it’s nearly half of all households.

We’d like to speak to Irish people living in apartments in other European countries about their experience. Perhaps you are raising your children in an apartment or maybe you’ve lived in apartments in Ireland and abroad?

Are the facilities in other European countries simply better for apartment-dwellers? Do they offer more storage, more light, better communal areas or more spaces for children to play? Are neighbours abroad more accustomed to the compromises and shared norms of closer living? Do you have a caretaker and are you near local services and transport?

[ Irish people don’t want to live in ‘mostly awful’ apartments. Here’s five ways to fix themOpens in new window ]

Or are Irish apartments not fit for purpose – too small, too few rights, poor locations, exorbitant management fees and little outdoor space?

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Is there something in the Irish psyche or history that keeps us fixated with owning a traditional house? As Sirr points out: historically, flats were regarded with suspicion. In a 1932 edition of the Jesuit journal Studies, Fr Fergal McGrath warned that “flat life is an unnatural thing” and “in line with the philosophy of communism”.

Do we not see apartment living as suitable for raising a family and putting down roots? Is apartment living simply ingrained in society elsewhere in Europe? Or perhaps you are living abroad and longing to live in an Irish house with a fireplace and a big back garden?

If you’d be happy to talk to us about your experience, please briefly outline your thoughts below or email abroad@irishtimes.com. Please include a phone number for verification purposes only. We will keep your contact details confidential.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous in any published articles, please indicate this in your submission. We will curate a selection of submissions for an article but please note we may not publish every submission we receive.

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