Letters to the Editor: Housing is more than a commodity

'It seems to me that, had our Government addressed housing as a social issue, rather than a commodity it would have set about building affordable homes as well as social homes over the last two decades.' File picture 

For the most part I have good memories of time at Loreto boarding school, Killarney. Excuse a bit of reminiscence. 

It was the late 1950s and Loreto shaped part of my education for a couple of years. A highlight or two might include weekend walks to Muckross Park in the spring time and attending my first and only football game — a Munster final when the two Mickos were playing for Kerry — the equivalent of the Cliffords and Co today. We could say it was an inclusive style of education.

The overall imprint I have is the outstanding beauty of the site, located on a hillside with panoramic views of the mountains and lakes of Killarney. A prime location by any standards.

So it is with a certain sadness my attention is drawn to it on hearing about notices of eviction of 14 families including many school children from the private estate at Loreto Chapel.

When housing became a commodity in this country I think we may have lost our way. 

The Loreto site was intended to be a holiday village. I’m not sure if that was to be the equivalent of short-term letting or was it to be holiday homes for those with money to spare. Either way, the plan didn’t materialise but thankfully the houses did get built. Now the owner wishes to sell them and families are getting notices to quit. Due to our housing emergency these families are left with very few options as they try to avoid homelessness.

It seems to me that, had our Government addressed housing as a social issue, rather than a commodity it would have set about building affordable homes as well as social homes over the last two decades, thus giving members of communities like Loreto the option of buying a reasonably-priced permanent home. The vagaries of the private rental sector, with its very high rental prices is excluding huge sectors of our society from the choice of a secure home. 

What will it take to fix this and who cares?

Mary Shanahan, Tralee, Kerry

Ireland’s response to Gaza genocide

Is Taoiseach Micheál Martin seriously unaware of the vast reputational damage Europe is suffering as a result of the genocide in Gaza? 

In a speech at Bodenstown earlier this month, and in several contributions since, Mr Martin criticised what he terms ‘corrosive euroscepticism’. This was directed at political figures in Ireland who occasionally question Europe’s role in world affairs. 

However, the Taoiseach failed to make any reference to the ongoing genocide — and to Europe’s supportive role therein.

The self-inflicted damage to Europe’s reputation is, undoubtedly, most keenly felt among Ireland and Europe’s young people, as well as among the nations of the Global South — the rising New World.

Ireland would be best served by taoisigh and presidents who look to the future.

Billy Fitzpatrick, Terenure, D6

A reason for low uptake of vacant property grants

Regarding Cianan Brennan’s article: You may qualify for a grant but then the council wants to see three builders’ quotes and it must be done in a certain way which seems to keep changing whenever you submit a quote otherwise they don’t accept it.

You go to builder and ask for a quote and if they hear it’s for a grant they refuse to quote. Seems the council doesn’t pay or pays late. If the council inspector doesn’t like the builder or what’s been built, the grant is withheld and it’s then up to the homeowner to cover the cost. If your property is in a remote area, it can be very difficult to find a builder willing to do the work and then you get the hassle of trying to satisfy the council. It’s like toying with a cat on a string. If the Government wants to make it easier, then make it easier for the homeowner to access, perhaps the council should be a one-stop shop so, if you qualify, the council subrogates and completes all the work.

Brendan Creaven, Ardagh, Co Limerick

Working together to deliver inclusive education

I read with great interest Joe Travers’s recent article. I am in full agreement with his message.

As he so rightly argues, Ireland must not lose sight of the vision of an inclusive education system — one where all children and young people, regardless of their needs or abilities, learn and grow together in their local schools.

In my work with pre-service and in-service teachers, Sencos (special educational needs co-ordinators), school communities, parents, and school leaders across Ireland, I have seen first-hand both the challenges and the enormous potential of inclusion.

I also understand why many parents are turning to special schools: They want reassurance that their children will be understood, supported, and
valued. These are deeply human concerns borne out of systemic failures and a lack of trust in the system.

But there is much to be hopeful about. Across the country, many mainstream schools already show how inclusion can work brilliantly.

For years, I have observed exceptional teachers and SNAs in both mainstream and special schools unlock the potential of students with complex needs; it has been a privilege. As a society, we must showcase the transformative impact and deep commitment of our teachers, school leaders, and SNAs, empowering students to thrive. We must harness existing good practice of our many schools to build the systems, infrastructure, and capacity Professor Travers identified.

Celebrating the successes of our schools in responding to diverse student strengths and needs isn’t dismissive of the failures in the system; it is as important as advocating for change when the system does not work. We need to restore parents’ trust in our school system, dispel their fears, and support families to feel heard, valued, and true partners in their child’s education.

There is political will and commitment to improve our education system.

Without significant investment from all stakeholders shaping the educational experiences of children and young people, and a collective acknowledgment that everyone — students, families, government agencies, and practitioners — plays a role in nurturing inclusion, it is unrealistic to expect any single government entity or organisation to be solely responsible for “fixing” the system. Working together to create environments where all children feel they belong, and parents feel heard and supported, must be the goal.

There are many productive partnerships and initiatives improving our system for students with diverse needs and their families. Let’s celebrate them.

Johanna Fitzgerald, In secondment to Education and Training Boards Ireland from role as head of department of educational psychology, inclusive and special education, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

State funding for public service broadcasting

State funding for public service broadcasting, should be much broader and should be opened up to Virgin Media and to independent radio.

I think it comes back crucially to our democracy apropos to how we ensure that we have a quality public service media. It is a challenge for our public service broadcasters and for commercial radio and commercial television as to how to survive in a very competitive market, ergo we must strive to ensure that there is funding. I am acutely aware that there’s a big debate over the extent to which state funding should underpin it. But I do think it is crucial for our democracy that we have quality radio.

When you see the censorship elsewhere in the world, which is just unbelievable, allied to the misinformation and disinformation that Russia has on its news stations across Eastern Europe, we have to be very grateful for the quality of our broadcasting in stations such as RTÉ and Newstalk.

John O’Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary

Difficulties with early pension withdrawal

As an Irish person abroad, the nostalgia runs deep and is amusingly encouraged listening to the great Christy Moore. Songs like St Brendan’s Voyage boost one’s enthusiasm to visit the four corners of the world and spread Irish goodwill.

However, as an Irish citizen, you maintain minimum legal rights. One that pains me to write is the entitlement to early pension withdrawal. As a former state employee of the VHI, the pension fund I contributed to is run by Irish Life. Five months prior to turning 50 in September, I requested the documentation necessary to have my pension as a lump sum, rather than opting for the phased pension payments.

Like St Brendan, I was glad to turn the boat in the direction of home. My adventures abroad being exuberating, the expectation of a lump sum was a deciding factor to return to known shores.

Six months later, unfortunately, the cumbersome, and frustratingly unhelpful system in place still holds my pension sum. Despite writing a complaint to Irish Life and now preparing a formal complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman, there is little progress on my claim.

I ponder if other Irish ex-pats are facing the same painful ordeal and how much of these funds are unwillingly blocked? Documentation is haphazardly thrown around between departments, and even once supplied only generates demands for further documentation, the majority of which are sent via post causing innumerable delays. Ireland — home to the world’s greatest IT giants, and yet decades behind a fluid, instructive, and decisive system.

St Brendan did sail back home, but then again, the welcome was not great and he turned around to continue his explorations. The poor handling of these claims by Irish Life is the hand that pushes the boat away.

Cormac Fiddes, Antibes, France

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