Irish Examiner View: Joined-up response to climate change and housing is essential

Housing and climate crises

Last Friday, more than 30 people queued through a bitterly cold night to try to secure one of 18 new homes in Carlow town. Inevitably, almost half were disappointed. Some of those who managed to buy a house work in Dublin and mix home working with office time. Others may not have that flexibility. Some will have to commute to Dublin, 90km away, most if not every working day. This means they will spend up to two-and-a-half hours a day travelling. This adds up to more than 12 hours a week and, over a year, a period far longer than anything most workers can expect in annual holidays.

This consequence an out-of-kilter property market is as draining as it is unsustainable on personal, professional or family levels, financially too, yet that practice has become common, turning city hinterland towns into dormitory communities. The Covid-19 flight from offices may accelerate that process but that remains to be seen.