Letters to the Editor, July 14th: On streets of apartments, charities and minding the bees

Irish Times

7 hours ago

Sir, – Given the size of the problem with housing in Ireland, current Government policy that focuses on apartment building as a solution is an unambitious goal that is stuck in the weeds.
To solve the crisis, we need a bigger metric than just apartment units. In fact, the problem is so big, we should start thinking about building streets of apartments, shoulder to shoulder with each other that combine to form villages and then grow into towns and so on.
Building streets might also go some way to resolving the idea that Irish people don't like apartments to the same extent as our continental neighbours.
When we talk about the fine apartments in Europe, it's not only the apartments themselves that we like, it's the streets, the public spaces, fountains, squares, food outlets and kiosks that we like the most.
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However, much of the apartment building in Ireland happens in suburbs where there is not much around, apart from other people's houses.
That's not to say we shouldn't build apartments in the suburbs, but rather than constructing standalone apartment buildings that are gated off from the rest of the community, we should be aiming to create cohesive blocks of apartments with access to ground floor retail and public spaces at street level. Creating streets from new apartment buildings could help form urban villages that act as centre points for existing housing estates where there are none, and could lead to gentle urbanism in the suburbs.
While the arguments for and against the new apartment standards rage on, perhaps we need to shift our thinking and stop dwelling on what's inside these apartments and focus on how these buildings can create quality third spaces for everyone to enjoy outside.
In an age when housing policy seems stuck for ideas and buy-in from existing communities, giving more consideration to creating streets and third spaces around apartments is really thinking outside the box. – Yours, etc,
CATHAL MELINN,
Whitehall,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Brianna Parkins' article ('
Apartments with fewer windows sound okay, until you live in on
e,' July 11th) on the Government's proposals to permit the construction of darker and more cramped housing units, sometimes called homes, highlights once more the genius of Official Ireland.
That is, the ability to assess a bad situation, analyse the causes of its occurrence, and then go ahead and make it much worse.
With so much talent in this country, how does Official Ireland continually show such lack of it? – Yours, etc,
PAUL McLOUGHLIN,
Rosslare Harbour,
Co Wexford.
Die by bullets, die by starvation
Sir, – For more than six weeks, Palestinian families across Gaza have faced a brutal and often lethal Hobson's choice. They must decide whether to risk life and limb to retrieve aid, or whether to stay put and go hungry for another day. It's a case of whether to die by bullets or die by starvation.
In front of the eyes of the world, the humanitarian system is being torn up in Gaza. Massacres at so-called Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) sites are now a routine occurrence.
Since the GHF began operating at the end of May, more than 700 people have been killed and nearly 5,000 injured while seeking aid. Hospitals, already stretched to breaking point after 21 months of conflict, are utterly overwhelmed by the numbers in need of treatment.
The four GHF distribution sites replaced more than 400 aid locations run by the UN and NGOs across the Gaza strip. The GHF system forces desperate people to trek long distances through active conflict zones, often under a hail of bullets and bombs, and leaves them waiting in fenced areas to collect an aid package that will last only a few days.
If the humanitarian system as we know it is to be resuscitated, we need aid delivery once again in the hands of principled humanitarian partners as well as all crossings into Gaza to be opened up so aid can be brought in on a scale that matches the needs of two million people suffering desperately without enough food, water or medical care. – Yours, etc,
ROSAMOND BENNETT,
Chief executive,
Christian Aid Ireland,
Dublin 2.
The epaper and the good old days
Sir, – It is only in the past week or two that I have realised that my subscription to The Irish Times digital services gives me access via the epaper to daily full-screen copies of the newspaper from one, two, five, 10, 25 and 50 years ago.
Since then, I have been vicariously living in the past.
And what have I learned from my reading? That there really is no such thing as 'the good old days', that's what. – Yours, etc,
JOE McLAUGHLIN,
Midlothian,
Scotland.
Charities and trade unions
Sir, – It is deeply disappointing to see some charitable organisations adopting the language and practices of exploitative employers ('
Disgusting: Leading Irish charities accused of hypocrisy for failing to work with unions
,' July 11th).
The recent statement by the Capuchin Day Centre, claiming it 'places huge value on its employees' while refusing to engage with trade unions is a case in point.
Saying they 'engage directly with employees' may sound reasonable, but in reality it echoes the old tactics used by employers to avoid collective bargaining and deny workers their right to organised representation. Trade unionists rightly condemn this approach.
Charity should begin with fairness to your own staff. If an organisation depends on the goodwill of the public, it must also show goodwill to those who do the work. – Yours, etc,
JOHN SUTTLE,
Dollymount Ave,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – I can well understand Siptu's Brendan Carr's 'disgust' with large charitable organisations' reluctance to recognise trade unions.
Back in the 1980s while I campaigned with others for disability rights, many large charitable organisations across the country were very resistant to notions of individual or collective rights for their service users. The notion that disabled people had a voice and rights like anyone else was something they did not welcome.
They felt they were the best judge of what disabled people wanted and needed. I think part of the reason for this is that many of these organisations had their roots in charitable, philanthropic and Catholic traditions.
Their attitudes reflected more of a paternalistic rather than an empowerment ethos. Their focus has largely been on service delivery particularly in areas such as disability and provision for older people.
Nonetheless, they led the way in the provision of services while the State has been happy to sit back and allow this development to take place.
While disability activists generally found individual unions and trades councils supportive, this was not the case with Ictu officials at the time. Furthermore, most unions did not understand the complex nature of voluntary organisations and the not-for-profit sector. Trade unions tended to be used for traditional models of negotiation based largely on the private and public sectors.
In more recent times, trade unions have become more about individualism, and engagement with wider social issues has weakened. For instance, trade unions have largely turned their eyes away from issues such as older people's care and the privatisation of the sector.
Such issues are still largely seen in caring and medical terms rather than as a trade union or civil rights issue.
I would argue that much could be gained from The Wheel's [an umbrella body that represents many charities and NGOs] suggestion to explore with unions how there can be greater engagement between employers and staff.
In particular, in relation to pay and conditions, but also in regard to the quality of the service that is delivered.
Most importantly, the voices of service users whose wellbeing depends on responsible providers and caring staff must be included in this dialogue. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN HOBAN,
Co Cork.
Bonfires and the Twelfth
Sir, – The burning of a migrant boat effigy on a loyalist bonfire has shocked decent people north and south and I see that Amnesty International has added its voice to condemnation of the 'protest'.
Though it was indeed an offensive and provocative incident, was it any worse than the nationwide displays of bigotry we've witnessed here over the past three years? Banners with hateful slogans like 'Get them out!' and Ireland for the Irish!' have appeared in towns across the land.
Those who attend these protests appear offended when asked if they consider themselves to be racist.
'Oh God no, of course not', they plead, 'we're just concerned about services in the area, the number of GPs ... sure otherwise we'd be delighted to see them coming...'
I suggest there needs to be an urgent emphasis on anti-racism courses in all primary and second-level schools. These courses should be comprehensive and professionally delivered.
Judging by the degree of venom, ignorance and naked hostility evident at anti-immigrant marches and pickets, we've already lost a sizeable minority of the population to the politics of hate and division.
Let us act now to reclaim our decency as a nation. From an early age, children could be taught that there's a world of difference between patriotism and racism; between fascism and traditional nationalism.
They might be taught that there's no 'plantation' under way in Ireland akin to the ones undertaken by various English kings and queens and by Cromwell. No attempt to 'replace' us all with another set of people – that conspiracy theories beloved of internet keyboard warriors are madcap claims that have no more credence or provenance than has the most fanciful fairytale.
A major anti-racism drive in the schools mightn't help present-day victims of that age-old insidious and destructive human vice, but it might ensure that we don't end up with another generation of bigots wrapping themselves in the tricolour as they seek to dehumanise people who've lost everything and whose only 'crime' is to look 'different'. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FITZGERALD,
Lower Coyne Street,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – Today (July 12th) many of our fellow countrymen and women will participate in marches organised by the Orange Order to celebrate their culture. Such displays are accepted generally, though there are some caveats associated with a minority of marches.
Last night we witnessed the setting fire to some gigantic bonfires as an aspect of the same Orange culture. Again, a minority of these bonfires are constructed in contested locations or contain articles repugnant to sections of our society as depicted by the Moygashel village bonfire with its replica of a group of immigrants in a boat crossing the English Channel.
The location of a bonfire close by electrical control units housing the supply of electricity to two major hospitals and nearby to an area containing asbestos is abhorrent.
But, so too is the horror of many in our society by the PSNI refusal to assist contractors hired by Belfast City Council to remove this bonfire. Is the PSNI still a police force for one section of the community in Northern Ireland?
Who really wishes for a United Ireland? – Yours, etc,
PETER BUNTING,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Probably unlike many of a nationalist persuasion, I don't have an acute problem with the Twelfth celebrations and the accompanying bonfires, principally because they are more a representation of the past than the present.
There is a genuine cultural dimension for the equal Protestant community as it is a celebration of King William's victory at the battle of the Boyne in 1690.
While there will always be a sectarian element who seek to exploit differences, we should not stoke up the flames, but allow time to let the embers of any lingering hatred to die out naturally, as it will. At least respect cultural difference, even if we cannot embrace it. – Yours, etc,
AIDAN RODDY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Be careful with the bees
Sir, – Recently, while mowing a lawn, which contained a lot of white clover, I noticed a large number of bees on the clover.
I assumed that they would fly off before being engulfed by the mower.
However, on paying closer attention, it appeared that quite a number of them were unable to escape before being run over.
I slowed down to a crawl, but still some did not make it in time.
When meadows are being cut, a device called a flushing bar is attached to the mower. It creates a disturbance in advance of the implement to allow nesting birds to flush, to avoid injury or death. I wonder would it be possible to incorporate a similar device on both push and ride-on mowers, thus saving countless numbers of bees. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD GELLETLIE,
Blainroe,
CoWicklow.
Temple Bar and night life
Sir, – I enjoyed Frank McDonald's article ('
Why I moved out of Temple Bar after 25 years
', July 12th) but must quickly correct him to say that no late bar will be able to open until 6am under proposed legislation. The late bar is the dominant late night venue and its latest trading time of 2.30am will be unchanged.
Only a small number of nightclubs may sell alcohol until 5am, with the potential – but largely unlikely option – of dancing to 6am. We expect tailored closing times in each district, shaped by local feedback. The free-for-all idea that some like to paint has no basis, and, as always, the judge's decision will be final.
I welcome Frank's mention of an 'effective European-style noise control regime'. It should go hand in hand with the long-promised European-style licensing system.
Given the edgy, ghost-town effect Temple Bar often suffers from, let's hope its few dance venues interested in later hours soon get that chance.
At a time when Dublin needs something – anything – our increasingly well-managed night-time economy can unlock vital benefits for performers, workers, citizens and tourists alike. – Yours, etc,
SUNIL SHARPE,
Give Us The Night,
Drimnagh,
Dublin.
Not in the mood
Sir, – Ben McCabe (Letters, July 10th) notes that a regular contributor to The Irish Times Letters page has migrated to the Irish Independent on a particular day and wonders, jokingly, if the reason is climate change.
Could it be that the regular contributor simply had their letter rejected by The Irish Times and offered it to the Indo instead who went ahead and published it?
Speaking from experience, it does happen and thanks to the Indo for indulging my views when the Old Lady of Tara Street was not in the mood. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN AHERN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin.