Despite dealing with housing as one of the core issues of individuals' well-being and life situation, Cathal O'Connell's subject matter -- and approach -- is oriented towards an issue that is going far beyond the question of well-being, living standards and redistribution issues. Housing, or more generally, accommodation is a fundamental expression -- and building block -- of societies, and as such it has to be understood as core issue of socialisation, i.e. of the mode in which a society builds up its own identity and integrity. Thus, the lesson from O'Connell's systematically researched, deeply and in details informed work is reaching far beyond national housing issues. And it is in this sense that they are an important contribution to explain as well some of the general challenges of European integration.