We did a new build and the planners were a bunch of fossils who were horrified by the idea we didn't want a mouldy pile of concrete blocks. After we built it, the neighbours marveled at how warm a timber home could be - and beautiful.

We ended up moving to the Netherlands but remarkably there were so many homes for rent compared to Ireland it felt easy. I'm in a 5 bedroom house a 20 minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal for about the price of a 4 bed semi-d in Tullamore. And I don't need a car here.

Ireland's a mess.