+mkKindVar u r = KVar u kind_var_occ r
+
+kindVarRef :: KindVar -> IORef (Maybe Kind)
+kindVarRef (KVar _ _ ref) = ref
+
+kindVarUniq :: KindVar -> Unique
+kindVarUniq (KVar uniq _ _) = uniq
+
+kindVarOcc :: KindVar -> OccName
+kindVarOcc (KVar _ occ _) = occ
+
+setKindVarOcc :: KindVar -> OccName -> KindVar
+setKindVarOcc (KVar u _ r) occ = KVar u occ r
+
+kind_var_occ :: OccName -- Just one for all KindVars
+ -- They may be jiggled by tidying
+kind_var_occ = mkOccName tvName "k"