New Homes for 302,625 Ghosts

There are according to some figures as many as 302,625 houses lying empty in the Republic of Ireland (see link if you don't believe the figure)

Without going into too many details, the Irish went a bit mad with all of the billions of Euros they got off Europe, and embarked on an unsustainable building spree, with the banks lending loony amounts of money to all and sundry.

The results are there for all to see, and they are called Ghost Estates. There are hundreds of them scattered throughout the country and no one really knows what to do with them, except me of course.

I propose making them available to the thousands of homeless spectres, ghosts, poltergeists, etc, who are routinely driven out annually by exorcisms across the world.

A simple register would list the properties available for undisturbed haunting, and any certified exorcist would be able to purchase the deeds at a reduced price as part of their work to re-house these now homeless spectres.

Each estate would be suitably fenced off from public admission and declared occupied by malevolent spirits of every variety. The Irish are a superstitious lot, and it should keep most of them out. A few scare stories (backed up by punitive fines of course) will add to the effect.

Meanwhile, the houses will simply be allowed to rot... providing valuable shelter for endangered bats, barn owls and other creatures. Tourism will flourish for those brave enough to spend time in one of the properties made available on each estate for this purpose, as part of a new "haunted house holiday" venture, with each visitor receiving a certificate detailing the ghost of occupation and she/he/its previous record and exorcism.

All-in-all, everyone comes out happy from this solution. The houses get used; some money gets raised; wildlife get protected shelter; a new tourism venture flourishes; and if you believe in ghosts, then they get new homes, and plenty of time to plot a suitable welcome for any foolhardy visitor.