Tithe, tithe, tithe
Ach b'í an uimhir iolra den fhocal céanna sin 'teach' a chuir mearbhall go brách orm. Níl i gceist agam mearbhall go brách a chur ar an léitheoir chomh luath seo san alt, ach is leor a rá go bhfuil a oiread sin leaganacha den uimhir iolra ag an bhfocal 'teach' sa Ghaeilge is atá réitigh á moladh ar fhadhb na tithíochta.
Sin í an fhadhb atá againne, ceist na tithíochta a shimpliú, agus mar sin a réiteach.
Sa chás annamh is go mbeadh dhá theach ag mac nó ag iníon de chuid Chonamara is amhlaidh go mbeadh teachannaí acub, nó titheachaí, nó tigheannaí, ní teachachaí, nó teachaíonna, nó tithí, nó tithíochaí, nó tithiúthaí, nó titheabhaí, nó tithiúbhaí, nó tíofachaí, nó tíofaí nó meascán méadaithe díobh, rud a d'fhág nárbh fholáir ceist na dtithe a thabhairt chun caighdeáin, is é sin, í a shimpliú.
Sin í an fhadhb atá againne, ceist na tithíochta a shimpliú, agus mar sin a réiteach.
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Agus réiteach simplí atá air nuair is gátarach a dhéanamh. Nuair a bhí formhór an phobail gan léamh ná scríobh ceapadh polasaí réabhlóideach chun deireadh a chur leis an neamhlitreachas. Bunaíodh scoileanna, oileadh múinteoirí, cuireadh d'fhiachaibh ar pháistí beaga an bóthar léanmhar cosnochtaithe a shiúl gach maidin go dtí an clár dubh agus slat na foghlama. Réitíodh an fhadhb.
Tá géarchéim is cruachor tithíochta anois againn gan amhras anonn. Ní ghéillim go bhfuil ceart ar theach mar cheart daonna, mar ní ann do chearta daonna mar earra meitifisiciúil a thit anuas ón spéir. Sinne a shocraíonn na cearta daonna. Ach creidim i leas an phobail mar leas gach aon duine. Dá réiteofaí fadhb na tithíochta in Éirinn, réiteofaí go leor d'fhadhbanna na tíre. Dá mbeadh árais chónaithe ar fáil do chách d'fhanfadh an t-aos oibre agus seirbhíse gurb orthu a bhraitheann an chuid eile againn. Bheadh intuigthe go bhféadfaí fanacht sa tír, tá chomh simplí leis sin. Thabharfaí aghaidh ar an aimsir fháistineach le dóchas.
Cuirtear Roinn Tithíochta ar bun mar a ceapadh ranna riachtanacha in aon tír shibhialta, agus cuirtear lab mór den mhaoin náisiúnta isteach inti mar a déanadh nuair a mhalartaíomar an solas leictreach ar an gcoinneal agus ar an ngeaitire tráth ar tógadh Ard na Croise. Faoi stiúir na Roinne sin bheadh Comhlacht Tógála Náisiúnta a sholáthródh tithe don phobal.
Bheadh na tithe sin ar fáil ar chíos réasúnta fad is a mhairfeadh an tionónta, ach ní bheadh cead an teach a cheannach. Ar an gcuma sin bheadh ann don chéad ghlúin eile nuair a thiocfadh an t-am.
Más cumannachas é sin, tá sorry orm, tugtar cumannachas air. Ba chuma, dhéanfadh leas gach n-aon.
Ní chuirfí i gcríoch de dhroim oíche é, ach thabharfadh misneach agus dóchas don phobal nuair ba léir go raibh réiteach i ndán agus soláthar rialta d'árais chónaithe ar fáil.
Ba ghá gearradh tríd an luifearnach agus an raingléis de mhaorlathas a thachtann aon bheart riachtanach a dhéanamh; déantar amhlaidh i gcónaí nuair a bhíonn mótarbhealach le tógáil nó an leas coiteann i gceist.
Thiocfadh oibrithe ó chian is ó chóngar nuair a bheadh an saothar ann dóibh sa tslí chéanna is a thóg Paddies na hÉireann Sasana agus baill eile.
Bheadh lánchead tógála i gcónaí ag comhlachtaí príobháideacha dóibh siúd ar mó de shealús agus maoin dóibh a dtithe seachas áit chun cónaithe.
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- Irish Times
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