Sir, – In his address to the Dublin Economic Workshop, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers hit out at individual objectors undermining broader economic and social objectives (“Vital infrastructure in Ireland is being blocked by planning objectors, Jack Chambers claims,” September 20th).
One of the most common issues raised by objectors to housing developments is the erosion or loss of the character of the relevant neighbourhood. What exactly is meant by the “unique character” of such a neighbourhood?
My assessment of the character of my area could be very different from that of my neighbour.
Since this is entirely subjective, which of us is correct in our assessment? Are both not equally valid? If a housing development is proposed for the area, whose assessment of the change in the character of the area should take priority?
RM Block
Is my assessment of the increased energy and dynamism that young people or families will bring to the area, along with additional business for local enterprises, not as valid as my neighbour’s view that any change to the current quiet and stable “character” of the area is not desirable?
Neighbourhoods, like the cities of which they are a part, are constantly changing and evolving, and housing applications should be judged in this context, against concrete criteria.
The key point is that something as subjective as one or more residents’ definition of the character of an area is a ridiculous criterion to use to assess an application for housing development. It is the continuing willingness of the planning authorities to entertain these arguments that is a major contributor to the delays in building so many badly needed houses and apartments across the country. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN KELLEHER,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers bemoans the “narrow interest” with planning objectors blocking the roll-out of vital infrastructure: “We as a Government . . . have people wanting us to deliver homes, wanting us to deliver infrastructure, and unfortunately in some instances the narrow interests are superseding that.”
This helpless-sounding plea has become the single-transferable response of various Government Ministers, from the Taoiseach downwards, over the past year as the housing-water-waste energy infrastructure crisis accelerates. It’s pathetic and deeply demoralising.
Ministers – you are the Government. Please govern, and stop moaning like well-intentioned bystanders.
Back in June, the Government managed to publish and enact a Bill to extend rent control to the entire country in a single week.
Now, we need similar emergency legislation to green-light the North Dublin Drainage Scheme, the Shannon-to-Dublin water pipeline, the North-South electricity interconnector, and offshore wind energy development.
It’s time to see whether we’ve got a courageous, activist Government or a debating society leading this country. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN O’BYRNES,
Morehampton Road,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – We speak endlessly of cranes on skylines and houses yet to be built, but we tiptoe around the homes already standing idle in plain sight. Ireland’s housing crisis is not just about scarcity, it’s about waste. The local property tax (LPT), based on value and location, ignores the elephant in the room: size. A modest reform would be to measure tax not only in euro but in square metres.
Such a shift would not be about squeezing more revenue from homeowners but about rebalancing our housing system.
Why should a five-bedroom house occupied by a single retiree be taxed in the same way as a bustling family home of similar value?
By linking tax to floor space, we would nudge households to downsize, to share, or to rethink what “home” means in a time of shortage.
To make housing fair, we must not only build new walls but make better use of the ones we already have. – Yours, etc,
KEN McLAUGHLIN,
Dundrum Road,
Dublin 14.
Inheritance tax
Sir, – Pavel Marianski tells us that some of our wealth should be returned to society when we die (Letters, September 20th). But why then should some people have this obligation and not others?
According to our Constitution all citizens are equal before the law. But some are more equal than others. I refer to inheritance tax as applied to married couples and the contrast with cohabiting couples.
The latter might have been in a loving and caring relationships for 30 or 40 years, sometimes longer and more loving than some married couples. But when one of them dies the other one suffers a punitive tax bill on any amount over ¤16,250. A married survivor does not pay any such tax.
With more and more people choosing not to marry, when will the Government realise the unfairness of this system and honour the mandate of the Constitution to treat all citizens in a fair and just manner? – Yours, etc,
KATHLEEN FORDE,
Whitehall,
Dublin 9.
John Boyne and the L&H award
Sir, – It is somewhat ironic that the author of a novel called Echo Chamber, John Boyne, should fall foul of the self-same chambers echoing around the committee rooms of the UCD Literary & Historical Society (L&H).
To give an award for a man’s work and take it from him for his views is capricious and contrary to the very essence of the L&H – namely debate.
I would like to award this committee the “Inaugural Echo Chamber Award” – and then rescind it.
I was intent on attending the 170th anniversary dinner for the L&H and now feel like boycotting it, but would then miss the opportunity to debate this committee on its idiotic decision. – Yours, etc,
CIARAN McCOURT,
Parkland,
United States.
A sporting endeavour
Sir, – When as a child, I was in Santry stadium (Morton Stadium) on August 6th, 1958, to witness Herb Elliot, our own Ronnie Delaney and three others break the four- minute mile. I’ve loved athletics since.
That day our family came home hoarse and with red-raw hands from cheering them on. Roll forward 67 years, and I’m hoarse again from the comfort of home cheering on all our wonderful athletes in a multitude of disciplines. Thanks to one and all and to Derval O’Rourke, Rob Heffernan, Sonia O’Sullivan, Greg Allen and David Matthews for providing analysis and commentary.
Top congratulations to the wonderful Kate O’Connor and her silver medal win and to Cian McPhillips for breaking the national record and coming in fourth.
As I wrote in this newspaper after last year’s Olympics, David Gillick is a national treasurer and his empathy with winners and those less successful should be bottled.
His personality also earned interviews with other international athletes and Lord Coe. Well done – everyone. You did us all proud. Yours, etc,
LILIAN WEBB,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Political parties and presidency
Sir, – In view of the deplorable and undemocratic way in which the two major parties have treated potential presidency candidates, and the public at large, surely the public should consider this action when it comes to voting?
I have never seen such an undemocratic manoeuvre in my life.
It called into question the whole ethics of democratic politics, and certainly cast aspersions upon the establishment and the methods they are prepared to employ to try to win this election.
Hopefully the public will now have an opportunity to reject this approach with the nomination of an independent candidate. – Yours, etc,
PAUL O’BEIRNE,
Beaumont,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Sinn Féin didn’t change the game, they just joined somebody else’s game at the last minute. – Yours, etc.
KEVIN LALOR,
Co Kildare.
Keeping Ireland open
Sir, –What a wonderful treat it was to celebrate our history, heritage and creativity during the 20th Culture Night on Friday, September 19th. Details of 1,871 events, where venues generously opened their doors, facilitating artists, performers and subject matter experts to share their talents and knowledge with countless thousands of attendees, were detailed on the Oíche Chultúir website.
What a shame then that so much of our unique heritage remains literally in the dark and out of bounds behind locked gates and barbed wire.
Virtually every parish has a medieval church, abbey, monument, ogham stone, dolmen, holy well, cemetery, riverside walk, bathing spot and/or scenic walking trail that was, in living memory, accessible to all but is now inaccessible behind a “Keep Out” or “Trespassers Prosecuted” sign.
Keep Ireland Open is working to persuade our politicians to reactivate legislation that protected public access to our natural and architectural inheritance.
Since independence, Irish legislators have failed to preserve and protect traditional footpaths and tracks that were used by the public to access heritage, connect villages, reach lakes and beaches or to walk in the mountains.
In the UK the same legislation that we inherited has been regularly updated and amended to preserve and extend public access to the countryside.
It is time that our legislation was similarly updated to allow citizens and visitors to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of access to historic heritage, nature and the outdoors generally. – Yours, etc,
TONY McDERMOTT,
Director, Keep Ireland Open,
Harold’s Cross,
Dublin 6W.
The essence of rudeness
Sir, – Well done to Justine McCarthy in listing many examples of rudeness in today’s Irish society (“Why I’ve finally had enough of other people’s rudeness,” Opinion, September 19th).
As an old-age pensioner I find one glaring example occurs when waiting for a bus. For many years now there has been no queuing system. Instead, when the bus arrives, there is a general melee of pushing towards the bus door.
I, in the meantime, having stood up from sitting in the bus shelter, find myself being shouldered out of the way by mainly young people, many in school uniforms.
Then, when I eventually get onto the bus all the lower level seats are occupied, thus forcing me to navigate the stairs just as the bus jerks forward forcing me into a series of acrobatic back and forth movements in order to reach the upper deck. – Yours, etc,
TONY CORCORAN,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – I find it hard to read such agreements with Justine McCarthy’s article. That is not to say there aren’t rude people about, but it is all too easy to focus on the negative. If you look for the positive, you might just realise it’s all around you.
Let’s build up the younger generations and applaud them for how well they deal with challenges the older generations never had to face.
As a primary school teacher I have the pleasure of working with some of the most polite and wonderful children. Let’s celebrate that, rather than judging today’s youth so unfavourably. – Yours, etc,
ANNA SHACKLETON,
Dublin 6W.
Seeing red
Sir, – Ronan McDermott (Letters, September 20th) regrets he didn’t spot me as he “could have taken the opportunity to offer him [me] the traditional greeting Dublin cyclists reserve for bigots and pass-remarkable motorists”.
Could I inform him, I travelled to Dublin on the 7.15am Rosslare train and used the bus to meet my friend. Along the way I also managed to get in a large percentage of my daily step quota.
Might I suggest that Mr McDermott, as well as reading the Letters page, take a glance at the article by Justine McCarthy, “Why are so many people in Ireland so rude,” September 19th. – Yours, etc,
DÓNALL Ó MURCHÚ,
Loch Garman.
Cat control
Sir, – In response to Mr North’s letter on cat control (September 20th) I would like to remind him that the amount of freedom cats are given to engage in being predators is somewhat dependent on their owners.
Mr North will be pleased to learn that there is a trap-neuter-return system in place for feral cats in Ireland. That being said, this arachnophobe is delighted to have cats that dispose of the problem for her . . . even if it begins with an escalation in heart rate as I watch the chase of these eight-legged, eight-eyed darters, some playful batting, and intermitted chewing. Proud of themselves for being my protector, they walk away to put their fur back in place with a little grooming. – Yours, etc,
DAVINIA RYAN,
Co Wicklow.
Fox news updates
Sir, – On reading the number of very amusing stories regarding foxes in The Irish Times last week, an old story came to mind.
When staying for a weekend at a well-known five-star hotel in the west of Ireland, a fox visited by waiting at the front door each night without fail where he found his huge dish of food waiting for him.
We noticed that the hotel personnel and staff would keep an eye out for him. He enjoyed his food quietly before slinking back to his forest den.
When we visited the hotel a few years later we missed seeing the fox.
On inquiring, we learned he had passed away a short time before our visit. When he became ill a veterinary surgeon was called but there was nothing that could be done to save his life.
We heard a few tears were shed at the time by those who had become very fond of the fox. – Yours, etc,
MARY RIGNEY,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – In response to Tom Towey’s assertion that “foxes’ cunning knows no bounds” and in reply to Joe McKenna’s query (September 18th) as to whether my delivered Supermilk is still being stolen by foxes, I can answer that (after ensuring there were no holes in it), the Fox has indeed outfoxed the foxes . . . with a bucket. – Yours, etc,
CAROL FOX,
Dún Laoghaire,
Dublin.
