Public Housing on Public Land. Cost Rental as core part of party policy. 12,000 homes in DCC pipeline - push for these by 2027. Over the shop living. Part V at 20% brought in from July 2023, it is already providing more housing units and social mix in private builds.

There is both a demand and supply side to this question. 

Firstly, I would like to say that FF in government have delivered 100,000 units since the formation of this government. It’s not like flicking a switch, these things take time.

Getting housing built is hugely important, delaying home ownership delays people growing up and maturing into a phase of their lives where they settle down and have children. It is also hard on parents, with grown up children living at home and “not moving on”.

There is more to this problem than simply building housing, there is a huge amount of under utilized housing in Dublin.

I work as an estate agent, and I see desperate couples bidding on the same house all they time. To get it they often nearly bankrupt themselves in the process, again working long hours and delaying children (during those critical years) to get on the ladder.

On planning, I would like to see judicial reviews evaluated and the process speeded up.

The State needs to provide part funding to builders who are struggling to get access to capital markets. 

We could improve the demand side of the equation with some of the below:

• Extend the “rent a room” system to allow an individual rent out a single apartment for the annual tax exemption limit. Same terms and conditions as the rent a room scheme will apply so that the landlord could move a tenant out quickly for whatever reason.  A (much) cheaper rent will come with fewer rights,  (this should also not affect the rental caps).
• Do a nationwide advertising campaign to encourage people with empty bedrooms to avail of the rent a room scheme.
• Better grant aid support of house upgrades if the rent a room scheme is being used.
• Introduce flexible short-term rental contracts for properties on the market or in probate, with the understanding that the letting is only conditional on the unit selling or legal issues being resolved.  This will help alleviate some of the pressure on buyers and sellers during the transaction process.
• Water down some of the very onerous requirements for owners of listed buildings, it is sometimes more profitable for an owner to let the building fall down through lack of maintenance (e.g. flood and “accidental” fire), than keep the building in use. This is a case of the “perfect being the enemy of the good”. The derelict homes grant has helped increase supply.   ** ** To address the supply side, if costs are reduced, supply will increase:
• To help speed up the planning and building, I advocate many of the ideas of the YIMBY (short for “yes in my backyard”). Improved planning with fewer legal opportunities for building holdups. Individual with deep pockets, have the resources to hold up developments for many years through the courts. These legal delays also put inordinate costs onto the developer which are invariably passed on to the purchaser.  
• VAT rebates on building materials, if the building/apartment is sold with a margin of 10% or less.  
• Some landlords that I see have insane rents, and are happier leaving units out of the market in anticipation of a highly paid couple / individual eventually renting it, and simply taking the capital appreciation as a return. I support introducing additional “5x” property tax on empty units to destroy the profitability of this predatory business behaviour.
• Move the 2 year timeframe for a rental property to be vacant in order to be exempt from any rental caps to 4 years. Some institutions are leaving the apartments vacant for 2 years in order to increase the rent to market rent and exploiting this.
• Provide more tax relief to small landlords to discourage them from selling. RTB needs to be made a lot more efficient. Landlords report tedious delays.
• Increase taxation on rental income on large funds.

  

The failure of government to set or meet ambitious housing targets has meant that the action we need now is enormous. The government have shown us that the developer-led model only creates scarcity and unaffordability. That’s why I support a state-led model of housing delivery and would use my position on Dublin City Council to push for state acquisition of land and direct state building projects. In the interim, we have thousands of individuals in private tenancies in receipt of HAP, I would also push to bring these private tenancies under state ownership and operation through expanding the tenant-in-situ scheme.

To address the need for more housing, particularly social and affordable housing, I propose the following initiatives:

• Ensure the state retains ownership of a percentage of homes, keeping them within the social housing portfolio rather than selling them to the private market.
• ffer waivers on development leases and site costs to reduce overall expenses.
• Implement a state-led model for home delivery, pushing for the acquisition of land for direct state building projects.
• Introduce affordable housing zones, capping the value of rezoned lands to ensure an adequate volume of housing.
• Use state-owned land to build public housing, reducing delays in planning and incorporating new building technologies to construct homes faster and more sustainably.
• Adjust the tax code to incentivize the construction of affordable housing, further promoting the development of necessary housing stock.

Of the sites that I, as a Councillor, have had a say in the development of in recent years, e.g. (1) the Oscar Traynor Road site 853 new homes and (2) the O’Devaney Gardens site – 1,044 new homes I supported the building of homes on both sites from the outset, arguing for an equal divide of social homes and affordable purchase homes on both sites – and I will continue to do so as opportunities present themselves to me at City Council level.

Sinn Féin has the vision and the policies to deliver affordable and public housing. I believe that people should have the right to a secure and affordable home. Secure housing is a cornerstone of building healthy and vibrant communities.

Eoin Ó Broin, in his role as Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing and Local Government has set out in detail how we in Sinn Fein would address the housing crisis including building public housing on State owned land, reducing delays in planning, and using new building technology to build homes faster and in more environmentally friendly methods.

A strong Sinn Féin team on Dublin City Council would be a driving force behind implementing this change.

The Clontarf local election area is quite densely populated in terms of the foot print of existing housing estates, any available large open spaces are now valuable parkland such as St. Anne's Park, sports pitches, golf clubs and the Bull Island. These amazing facilities are what makes it so great to live in the area and some are protected biospheres for wildlife. That being said, we are now in a national housing crisis, so everything needs to be looked at. If elected to Dublin City Council (DCC), I will look to fast track smaller housing developments on smaller sites such as side gardens of existing properties and redevelopments on existing sites. DCC has higher vacancy rates than other local authorities, this needs to be corrected. The current turnaround time from vacancy to occupied is 8 months, this is far too long and will be a priority if elected. High property prices and rents are subject to basic laws of economics, namely supply and demand, so we should be aware of the drivers of both. Marino estate is in the south west of this constituency and was built in the 1920's - it is now a fantastic example of what is possible to achieve in terms of social and affordable housing. We were able to build this social housing estate in Ireland in the 1920's after the 1916 rising, and war of independence when we had very limited resources available. Yet now in 2024, when our GDP is the envy of the world, government cant meet even their own modest building targets. The state now needs to use its resources to borrow on capital markets at low interest rates, to build large scale public housing projects on public land it already owns. It shouldn't be complicated, and is an investment in our future. We used to consistently build a lot of social and affordable housing for people of all different socioeconomic backgrounds to find shelter in, and so we never experienced the record levels of homelessness we are seeing now under this government. Aontu oppose the creation of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT's) and other legislation brought in by FG and FF to allow vulture funds to operate here. This created the opportunity for investment funds to bulk buy entire housing estates and then rent them back to us, tax efficiently. We will look to end this unfair advantage. See more here; https://aontu.ie/housing-crisis

The key to building more affordable and social housing has to be for the state to use public lands to build these homes. We need to set up a state construction company that is not for profit to build the homes we need on state lands. 

This will take time to set up but we have wasted so much time at this stage, so to get the ball rolling in the meantime we have to work in partnership with established home builders using state lands under contract to the state with development levies and site costs wavered. 

The state should bulk buy the raw materials with which to build these homes once again reducing the costs that would be incurred as the usual added profit margins would be removed. After a robust tendering process and until such a time as the state can build homes itself, we will have to work in partnership with construction firms who have a proven track record in building social and affordable housing on a mass scale. 

It would also be a condition that the state would retain ownership of a percentage of these homes, never to be sold off, so that future generations would have access to social housing and at some stage, it would return monies to the local authority in the form of affordable rent.

The housing crisis has brought immense suffering to numerous individuals in Clontarf and the surrounding areas. Many find themselves trapped in a cycle of exorbitant rents, unable to save for a down payment on a home of their own. Others remain living with family far longer than they desire, delaying their independence, and some feel compelled to emigrate due to a lack of prospects in Ireland. It is essential that everyone has access to secure and affordable housing. Addressing this crisis requires a change in government to reverse decades of ineffective housing policies.

Sinn Féin offers an alternative approach to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. In our 2024 Alternative Budget, we propose increased investment, higher targets to meet demand, streamlined processes to reduce current delays of up to 2 years before building even starts, utilisation of new construction technologies, accelerated planning procedures, and adjustments to the tax code to incentivise the construction of affordable housing.

A team of Sinn Féin councillors would be committed to addressing the housing crisis at the local level. We aim to facilitate the construction of genuinely affordable homes through Local Councils and Approved Housing Bodies, utilising public land for this purpose, as is Sinn Féin’s plan in Government.

Prioritise and push for direct delivery of housing by Dublin City Council. As a sitting councillor I have seen how government policy leaves us trying to build housing with one hand tied behind our backs. Local authorities, including DCC, need to be resourced and trusted to deliver housing on the land available to us. If re-elected I will campaign for and vote for direct delivery of public housing – particularly social and affordable.

In the current council term, I introduced motions to the Development Plan to allow for affordable housing zoning which would have capped the value of certain rezoned lands for housing delivery (potentially lands currently zoned for industrial or religious use) ensuring affordability and community benefit. This is a measure which has been successfully implemented in Vienna. Almost all government party Councillors voted against this and the council management blocked the move, determining that it was contrary to national legislation.

My Dáil colleague and Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson, Cian O’Callaghan TD, recently brought forward amendments to the Planning Bill to create legislative change that would enable affordable housing zoning and was blocked by government from doing so. Delivering the social and affordable housing we need at the volume we need it will require this kind of creative and large-scale solution and I will continue to fight for these alternative approaches.

Continue with upgrades to social housing. Reducing time due to skill shortage by Increasing the DCC apprenticeship recruitment. We sought apprenticeships and Dublin City Council are now actively recruiting.

Increasing for direct labour. This was advocated by green councillors and brought in by DCC in 2023.

We have requested that craft teams refurbish units together, so not waiting between door fixed and plumbing etc. A log of issues and a fix it team to arrange and do.

Increase inspection of private rental properties to make sure on the register and in compliance. Also changes in regulations on building standards of buy to rent apartments has increased.

More cost rental will force private landlords to reduce costs and increase value.

Regulations in EU on Airbnb to return apartments to long term rental or for purchase by LA and people to purchase as their homes.

During covid it became obvious how many apartments were vacant and were airbnb non owner occupied we sought that DCC housing use this opportunity to purchase these for public housing and they had some successl in doing so.

More supply increases stock for renters and supply is increasing under the current Housing for All plan.

Minimum BER requirements for rental properties.  

Right now, conditions are woeful in both social and private rentals across the country because local authorities are not resourced to carry out regular inspections and the Residential Tenancies Board does not have the kind of powers it should to effectively hold private landlords to account. Dublin City Council need to be carrying out more inspections of private and public tenancies and I will push for this if elected. Additionally, we need to be pushing nationally for a better resourced and empowered RTB which can inspect and sanction rogue landlords. I also support the retrofitting of social homes across the local area through the council so our homes can be warmer and more sustainable, and I will push for landlords to retrofit their tenants homes.

To improve conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented, I propose the following initiatives:

• Increase rental controls beyond current 12-month contracts, providing incentives for private landlords to retain tenants and upgrade properties to higher energy ratings, ultimately reducing costs for tenants.
• Implement a scheme that provides funds to retrofit properties in the rental market, including installing solar panels to reduce heating and water costs.
• Appoint an independent advocate to represent tenants of social housing, addressing concerns over conditions and tenancy terms.
• Boost the resources and staffing of the DCC inspector agency to increase inspections of private and social housing, ensuring landlords meet minimum standards and are held accountable.
• Empower the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) with greater authority to inspect and sanction rogue landlords.
• Support the retrofitting of social homes and encourage private landlords to do the same, enhancing the quality and energy efficiency of housing.
• Expand cost rental housing options, ensuring affordable rents, secure tenancies, and tenant rights to maintenance.
• Implement a comprehensive regeneration program for aging apartments and buildings that have surpassed their intended lifespan, focusing on refurbishment, and retrofitting to bring all rental housing up to acceptable standards.

On social housing, I will continue to support/argue for continued additional funding for the “Enhanced Works Programme” which is a really positive scheme that refurbishes homes (as opposed to regeneration schemes which demolish and rebuild and takes years to complete).

On private homes, continue to support and argue for more funding for the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme and Housing Aid for Older Persons Grant Scheme administered by Dublin City Council that improves conditions for private householders aged over 60 plus and includes roof repair/replacement; rewiring, repair/replace windows; provide central heating where none or broken beyond repair.

I am also seeking, and will continue to seek, additional resources at City Council level to be invested in the administration of the Croí Conaithe Scheme (vacant property refurbishment grant) so that applications can be processed at a much faster pace, (currently too slow, causing unnecessary stress for homeowners).

It has been clear for many years that large parts of the existing rental housing sector, both public and privately rented, is substandard. 

So many renters are left renting overpriced unfit accommodation without little long-term security.

Sinn Féin would ensure that all rental housing meets an acceptable standard.

New affordable rental and affordable ownership properties are needed to replace the use of substandard and unfit properties. We will ensure that all social homes are fit for purpose through refurbishing and retrofitting existing Council properties.

While canvassing several Dublin City Council (DCC) properties over the last few months, people have raised with me issues such as the prevalence of black mould etc, which is dangerous to human health. This is not be acceptable, and if elected I will ensure that minimum safety standards advised by the Residential Tenancies Board are fully enforced in DCC properties, which should be maintained to a high standard. Maybe a BER-style safety certificate for human habitation could be implemented.

To improve conditions in existing housing DCC needs to make available funds that can be used to retrofit properties in the rental market. These funds would be made available under the proviso that tenants have secure tenure. 

They must increase their rental contracts beyond the current twelve-month/yearly contracts that have become the standard norm. This offers a greater incentive to the landlords in the private sector to keep tenants in situ and also it offers the option to bring their property up to the highest energy rating, adding to the value of the property while also lowering the cost to the tenant when it comes to keeping the home warm in the colder months. 

For properties owned by Dublin City Council solar panels should be fitted to all roofs. This lowers the costs to the tenant for heating water and subsidised panels paid for over time by the owners of private dwellings would add to the value of their property but also reduce the costs to the tenants. This would add to the circular economy but also help in our fight to reach our climate targets and help reduce emissions.

Sinn Féin has proposed substantial increases in government funding allocated to councils for the upkeep, renovation, and retrofitting of council-owned houses. This encompasses a dedicated fund aimed at empowering local authorities to proactively address maintenance issues, such as deteriorating windows and doors, dampness, mould, and leaks. All too frequently, minor issues escalate into major problems due to prolonged neglect. Our goal is for every local authority to develop a preventive maintenance strategy to mitigate such issues. Additionally, we would aim to implement a regeneration program for ageing apartment buildings and flats that have surpassed their intended lifespan.

No individual should be subjected to living conditions like dampness, mould, or neglect. Our focus is on prioritising the repair of properties most urgently in need of attention and reducing wait times for essential maintenance services.

One of the issues that is very concerning to me is the conditions and terms for DCC’s social housing tenants. I would like to see an independent advocate become available for our tenants – someone they can turn to with tenancy issues such as maintenance or as we have seen in recent times exclusion from certain amenities in a development – and, if re-elected, will be exploring the provision of this either within our council staffing structure or through a tenant representative organisation.

In terms of private rented accommodation, the heart-breaking thing is that so many tenants are putting up with completely intolerable living conditions because they feel they have no alternative and/or that they will lose the housing they have if they speak up. I regularly meet and speak with constituents who are living without working showers/ovens/heating or living with black mould, drafty windows and similar who are paying extortionate rents to live in completely inadequate conditions.

In the short term there needs to be more inspection of private properties and greater efforts to hold landlords to account. There is a division within DCC that inspects private rentals but it doesn’t have the resourcing to significantly tackle the issue and needs greater funding and staffing. The longer- term solution is to roll out much more cost rental housing where rent is affordable, tenancies are secure and tenants have actionable rights to maintenance and upkeep. Providing people with viable alternatives to subpar housing is a must.

Community wardens. Extra bins. Seagull-proof bags. Shared bins. CCTV to catch and discourage dumping. Now possible under circular economy legislation.

Firstly, I am against throwing other people’s money at problems without trying out lower cost solutions. Politicians have a bad habit of not valuing budgets that need to be raised from the local community. 

Compared to my childhood, dog poo is not as big a concern as it once was. Responsible dog ownership is something that is encouraged. Further encouragement through advertising campaigns and street signage is low-cost. Increase penalties for offenders. 

On litter, our council already does a good job with their limited resources. However, we have a large population of under-employed migrants and asylum seekers. In return for their weekly allowance they could provide litter removal and park services. Our parks are suffering from infestations of invasive plant species (especially Rhododendron Ponticum), where often the best method of removal is by hand. 

An increased portion of our local property taxes should be ringfenced for street cleansing. It isn’t acceptable that the city centre, which is a place people work and live, is continuously a black spot for rubbish and illegal dumping. People should feel proud of where they are from and the actions of a few should not be allowed to destroy that. Litter wardens need to be given real powers too – for example, they should be able to fine people who are in charge of a dog in public without bagging equipment with them. 

We also need an adequate supply of public bins, communal bins in public housing locations and a commitment from the City Council that all graffiti – not just offensive/racist graffiti – will be removed where it appears.

To make the city feel less dirty and tackle the issues of rubbish and dog poo on the streets, I propose the following measures:

• Municipalise waste services to reduce illegal dumping by making refuse collection more affordable and accessible, the privatization of the bin service was the greatest act of vandalism committed on our city and political parties need to be held accountable.
• Install more solar big bins, including those specifically for dog poo, ensuring they are adequately distributed throughout the city.
• Launch an awareness campaign highlighting the negative effects of dog poo and the importance of cleaning up after pets, particularly focusing on the impact on people with disabilities, including wheelchair users.
• Assign community wardens responsible for littering, dumping, dog fouling, and ticketing anti-social and illegal parking behaviors.
• Ensure local property taxes are ring fenced for street cleaning to guarantee consistent funding for maintaining cleanliness.
• Provide litter wardens with more powers to enforce regulations effectively.
• Introduce a hotel bed night tax to fund additional cleaning services, keeping the city tidy for both residents and visitors.

Change the way domestic waste is left out for collection in areas where there is no wheelie bin service. Changing the time when these bags are left out for collection and strictly enforcing leave out and collection times is one way as it would limit the time during which wildlife frequently accesses waste on city streets. Another way I believe would benefit the city and one which I’ve raised at City Council is the underground bin system** used in Liverpool**.

During a recent safety audit with our Women’s Committee (cross Party City Council Women’s Committee) we identified parts of the city centre that a decent power wash of the granite kerbing along certain streets would, (according to the women to took part in the audit with us, make the street feel cleaner and more inviting. The audit also found that constant maintenance of street lighting (bulb replacement when requried) was a key factor in feeling safe/unsafe in parts of the city.

I believe that Dublin City Council need to take a central role bin services and I support taking the bin service back into public ownership.

The privatisation of waste has not benefited society, it has only created duplicate services, increased costs for households and illegal dumping.

Dublin City Council has failed at sufficiently investing into creating a clean environment in the city. To see any meaningful change to our streets, we need to see Dublin City Council investing in more street cleaning teams and ensure that bins are empty in timely manner.

The introduction of a Hotel Bed Night Tax could provide much needed funding that could be ringfenced to investing into a clearer city. A 1% charge could raise in excess of €12 million.

We need to have more litter bins all around the city and suburbs so people can dispose of their rubbish properly instead of littering. I am thinking especially in St. Anne's park, and along the seafront in Clontarf where I have often walked in summer and been shocked by the levels of waste and over flowing bins. Dog poo bags should be made freely available by the Council in all of our parks, along with increased dog wardens to enforce it. ONLY ONE FINE for dog fouling has been paid in Dublin city in the past four years – and it was cancelled on appeal. Figures released by Dublin City Council show just eight fines were issued between 2019 and 2023.

We need to see more bins across the city coupled with specific dog poo bins that also offer poo bags free of charge. This will encourage people to pick up after their pets. A campaign around the negative effects that dog poo has on people and why it’s important to clean up after your pet fouls would also be important. 

As the father of a young person who is a full-time wheelchair user, there is nothing more upsetting than having your hands and wheels covered in dog poo and makes for a very upsetting experience for all the family. 

As for rubbish, we need to take back control of our refuse collection. Since garbage collection was privatised more and more people are unable to cover the ever-increasing costs so they resort to illegal dumping. People pay enough in taxation and rates that we should be able to bring the rubbish collection back into the public domain and as additional costs are already being incurred by the council due to fly-tipping it makes sense to take back full control and reduce the consistent issues around illegal dumping. 

Dublin offers a vibrant and charming living, working, and visiting experience of the city. Yet, there is ample room for improvement in maintaining a clean environment, particularly regarding the cleanliness of our streets. I advocate for the transition of bin services back into public ownership, along with the enhancement of public waste services, including the provision of bins and recycling centres.

There is no one magic bullet solution to these problems and we have to consider balancing our needs and proactive versus reactive solutions. The more money spent on tackling dumping and littering, the less money there is for public art or playgrounds or creating positive public spaces/public realms. So, on the one hand there is the argument for resourcing more cleaning etc and in the council’s recent budget a lot more funding was allocated to street cleaning.

On the other hand, though is the idea of creating beautiful, accessible urban spaces to encourage people to engage with the city around them in a positive way. Both are necessary and we need a balance. One potential element of the solution to this is community wardens with responsibility for littering/dumping/dog fouling and ticketing of anti-social and illegal parking. More bins are another element of the solution. Remunicipalisation of our waste services would, I believe, go a long way towards tackling the chronic dumping issues.

We also need to ensure we have a city where our spaces are enjoyable, where families and people of all ages visit and participate, passive surveillance and positive use of our streets is vital. 

Increasing council logging of vacant units. Push for CPO-ing. Quicker release of grants for refurbishment of vacant buildings for homes. Increase the repurposing of office buildings for housing.

With a combination of carrot and stick. 

Firstly the stick.

I support that any building left vacant for 10 years or more reverts to the state. Some building are caught up in legal wrangling for decades, having a hard deadline would mean that parties would have an incentive to come to an agreement and get the property back “working again”.   

Similarly, some apartments are left empty and are relying on capital appreciation for their investment backers. These should be subject to a 5x property tax, to bring the units back into the market at realistic rents.  

“Use it or lose it”.

Secondly the carrot.

Relaxing of rules around listed buildings so that buildings can be maintained using normal modern methods, and can have a “change of use” (to residential) without an onerous process. It must be more are profitable to use the building than to let it rot.  

In times of crisis, we cannot let speculative developers control our housing supply. Dereliction is a blight on our community, we need progressive voices on the council which will push to acquire vacant properties so that can retrofit and develop them directly with the Land Development Agency to provide much needed housing and community spaces. I would also push to introduce a ‘use it or lose it’ rule on derelict sites with existing planning permission where the developer has failed to turn soil to prevent speculative land hoarding. This would mean the council would have a right to acquire the property when the developer has waited too long to undergo the development of a site with existing planning permission.

To tackle vacancy and dereliction, I propose the following initiatives:

• Enable the DCC to acquire properties that landlords are unable or unwilling to maintain, repurposing them to bring them back into use.
• Ensure fair prices for these homes, with the council undertaking necessary works to make them habitable and safe. These properties would be owned and maintained by the DCC to build long-term housing stock.
• Adopt a proactive approach where the council buys derelict and vacant private properties to transform them into new homes.
• Collaborate with the Land Development Agency (LDA) to retrofit and develop acquired vacant properties, providing much-needed housing and community spaces.
• Introduce a "use it or lose it" policy on derelict sites with existing planning permission, encouraging property owners to act on their development plans or face consequences.
• Increase admin staff in DCC responsible for turning around DCC owned boarded up ( voids) homes
• Legislation needed in respect of derelict properties whereby the owner maybe deceased ( land in probate ) etc.

The Croí Conaithe (Vacant Property Refurbishment) grant is a good scheme which I would argue should be made easier to avail of and also more investment in. Also, there are delays currently processing the applications through the City Council. At our last City Council meeting (and previously) I pressed Council management for an increased focus on processing times for grant approval because my constituents are being left waiting on decisions about their applications, which is costing applicants real money (rent for example), not just time. Also SEAI grant approval only last for six months so in some cases, constituents have to go through the SEAI process again, another reason we need to speed up the processing time in the decision making process.

Sinn Féin would use the vacant homes tax and derelict sites levy to tackle speculative purchase and non-productive holding of vacant and derelict properties.

We would make use of Buy and Renew and Compulsory Purchase powers to return derelict properties to use.

We would resource Dublin City Council to acquire and return properties to use and speed up the reletting of vacant council properties.

Sinn Féin would bring a proactive approach to identifying and planning for the strategic development of significant underutilised land banks, particularly those which are already held by state bodies. This must be balanced with the need to develop local sport and parks capacity which can support increasing housing density in the inner city. 

One thing that has become apparent to me while canvassing and out walking the streets of the Clontarf LEA, is just how many vacant properties there are in some places. Many are vacant for a variety of reasons such as death and probate etc., but where sites are vacant long term, say beyond two years, then we should look to bring in a vacant property tax that gradually increases over time to incentivise the use of the property and DCC could ultimately reserve the ability to CPO the property where there is no communication or efforts made to bring it back into use over say a 10 year period.

Vacancy and dereliction exist through the fact the owners for whatever reason are either unwilling or unable to maintain the property. Therefore the property should be made available to the council to repurpose so it can be brought back into use which will help tackle the ongoing housing catastrophe. 

Ongoing attempts at implementing dereliction charges and vacancy charges have had little effect on the issue. We need to offer a fair price for the dwellings, they can then be brought back into use. The council would undertake the appropriate works that would see the home be made safe and habitable. These homes would then be owned and maintained by DCC never to be sold off which would in turn help build up stock and protect the long-term housing needs of the people.

There are a large number of unoccupied and derelict properties in Dublin that have remained vacant for years, including in Clontarf, which only exacerbates the issues facing our communities.

Sinn Féin proposes that local authorities pursue Compulsory Purchase orders, where feasible, to redevelop these derelict properties and advocate for expanded implementation of the Buy and Renew scheme to revitalise unused buildings. We also call for monthly updates to enhance the collection of the Derelict Sites Levy and speed up the process of returning vacant social housing.

Vacancy and dereliction are an absolute scourge in our city. They are responsible for so much misery in terms of lost housing opportunities, lost creative opportunities and creating an overall sense of neglect and apathy.  The council needs to be more proactive in terms of these properties and some positive developments are beginning to happen in this space with the council buying derelict and vacant private property for transformation to homes. 

The real solution at scale to this problem is not at council level though and I think we need to be honest about that. If we persist in the narrative that the local authorities are the ones to tackle this then we fail to lay the blame where it really lies.

The government needs to introduce a vacant property tax with teeth. The tax they have introduced is pitiful at just three times local property tax – far below the rate of property value increases - and it is self assesed. If the goal was to design a measure that wouldn’t do the job, they nailed it. What is needed is a substantial vacant property tax with significant enforcement, which increases incrementally year on year to ensure investors are not sitting on vacant properties across our city while they accumulate value while damaging the social and economic fabric of our city. 

Passive surveillance. Role for Gardai but also non-policing responses. Clean and careful. Liveable neighbourhoods. More cafes and mixed use over the shops.

A much more visible police presence and stricter sentences for repeat offenders. 

Drones with cameras controlled by the gardaí could react quickly to crime making it much harder to engage in anti-social or criminal behaviour without being identified.

In my time as a local area representative, I have engaged with so many people across our area who all ask for the same thing – a visible community policing presence in our area. While Gardaí will generally respond if called, the deterrent effect of visible officers on our streets cannot be understated. It helps people feel safer and wards off anti social behaviour. We also need to couple this with a targeted approach to street lighting to ensure no ”black spots” exist, and this work should be completed before the winter months arrive again. And across the city, we need to have a continued focus on investing in local communities and public amenities such as sports facilities and cultural spaces so that young people have positive options available to them and are less susceptible to negative influences that can exploit them. 

To make the city feel safer, I propose the following initiatives:

• Ensure more visible community policing, with an emphasis on foot and bike patrols to enhance police presence and engagement.
• Allocate more resources to policing, particularly in the Northside and city center, addressing specific safety concerns in these areas.
• Increase investment in local clubs, sports facilities, and youth clubs in urban areas, as these activities are proven to lower anti-social behavior.
• Establish more community hubs where local organizations can open outlets providing food and drink, creating focal points for socialization in a warm, welcoming environment.
• Improve lighting in parks and other black spots to enhance safety and visibility.
• Invest in better infrastructure and amenities, especially in low-income areas, to create safer and more supportive environments.
• Enhance engagement with young people through targeted programs and support services.
• Expand addiction services to address underlying issues contributing to crime and antisocial behavior.

Firstly we need people in the city to help generate a feeling of being safe. The more people we have in the city, the better, from a safety point of view. When people feel the city isn’t a safe place, they stay away, so it’s a catch 22. Life changed in the city during/after Covid and we need to address this by listening to what citizens are saying as to why they don’t feel safe and identify what needs to be done to bring about that change so we can bring more citizens into town.

I was involved in carrying out a “Safety Audit” in the city with the Dublin City Council’s Women’s Committee, (a dynamic cross Party committee), the outcome of which informed us that many of the issues contributing to a feeling of unsafeness are connected to how bright/dark an area is; street lighting/ unlit/ unused/ empty/ derelict private premises; lack of cleansing of footpaths contributing to the uninviting feeling of a place; broken footpaths and run down or dark unlight private buildings.

I would like to see a city working group with specific funding to “put right” the doable things as mentioned above.

By 2022, there were 18% fewer Gardaí in Dublin than in 2009 despite growth in the city’s population. Social work and care services struggle for funding. Gangs have been allowed to embed themselves in and terrorise communities across Dublin. The State has been weak at tackling organised crime, even where it exists in City Council properties.

 An increased Garda presence in the city centre and across local communities is not a cure-all, but the decimation of Garda numbers since 2009 has allowed space for criminality and anti-social behaviour. Sinn Féin would invest in the Gardaí, so we can have more Gardaí on our streets protecting communities. We would get to grips with the recruitment and retention crisis in the Garda to end the huge numbers resigning.

We would also invest in frontline social work and care services to support community development. Tackling inequalities across access to housing, sports and recreation, education, and employment are essential to prevention, avoidance, and diversion.

I pledge to work with local Gardai to ensure our areas have regular patrols on our the streets to act as a deterrent. Gardaí should be empowered to do their job and be not be in fear of a GSOC inquiry for simply pursuing criminals in the line of duty. Prison sentences should be increased for violent offenders, and personally I would like to see a 3 strike policy implemented in Ireland which means automatic custodial sentencing after 3 convictions. We have far too many repeat offenders, some with hundreds of convictions. Of course, this needs prison space, and Thornton Hall needs to returned for use as its intended purpose as a new prison.

It is proven that if you increase footfall and activity in our urban surroundings, antisocial behaviour falls dramatically. You will never completely remove antisocial behaviour but if you offer people alternatives they can at least have options not to engage in it. Such things as investing in local clubs and sports facilities. 

In our parks, we can install better lighting, and add community hubs and areas that people can enjoy socialising together in. Offer good seating and areas where communities can hold events days while also inviting people to open small food and drinks outlets, outlets that could be run by local volunteers and organisations. This would give people a stake in their community, something to feel proud of. 

This along with investing in local youth clubs and halls offering sporting activities and other pastimes would have a positive impact on society and in turn, make our communities safer and more friendly for our people. We need to offer people positive solutions, not to vilify them due to the fact they have little involvement in their community. This is one of the best ways to create a safer, friendlier city.

Communities have the right to feel secure and safe, yet numerous people in Dublin express concerns about their safety.

Sinn Féin has presented our plans to bolster investment in the Gardaí, aiming to increase the presence of Gardaí on our streets to protect communities. We propose the establishment of a public transport policing unit to enhance safety for commuters. Additionally, we are committed to addressing the recruitment and retention challenges within the Gardaí to prevent the significant number of resignations.

Again,this is a multi-layered question. There is no doubt – and I’ve never been a “bring in the Gardaí” person – that our city needs more visible policing and more community policing. More Gardai on foot/on bicycles interacting with and building relationships with the communities they work in would make a world of difference. The Joint Policing Committee for the North Central Area recently wrote to the Minister for Justice expressing our view that more police resourcing was vital for the area and we received a stock reply telling us that what we have is just fine. That is not, however, the experience of people on the ground. 

The more long-term answer is around investing in at-risk communities, providing better infrastructure and amenities in low-income areas and involving people in sport and the arts. Often the city feels unsafe because of those left at the margins of our society, people will attack and threaten something if they feel isolated or excluded from it and if they feel they have nothing to lose.

We need to work harder to engage young people who feel disconnected from our society and to offer them meaningful opportunities to engage, work and play within our city. We need to look at the impacts of multi-generational addiction and provide a health-based response to allow individuals and families to move out of a cycle of addiction. 

This might sound corny or whatever but very genuinely I got involved in politics because I have kids and I believe you cannot make your own children safe in a deeply unequal society, you have to work to make all the children around them safe as well. That means access to decent housing, healthcare, education – we make the city safer by treating all the people with dignity and respect and affording them the basics for a decent life. 

Supporting BusConnect and major PT infrastructure investment. Camera based enforcement to get cars out of bus lanes. Lowering fares etc at national gov level. City Centre transport plan. Multi-modal connected transport. Integrated travel card for public transport and active transport hire.

Public transport pays for itself in productivity increases. Many people sit in cars for 8 hours per week commuting. This is essentially dead time, an extra day in a 40 hour work week. Giving some of this time back, increases the national income (and taxes), win win.

More funding please. Increased bus routes and trains at peak times. I would also suggest reduced parking in the city centre for car owners at the weekends. 

The focus of our transport policy should be to ensure that travelling by public transport becomes the easy, cheap and obvious way to travel for people who are able to. If we do this successfully, it will take those people out of private cars and actually make things easier for people who really need to travel by car, e.g. those who have medical needs or are older. Public transport has been made a lot cheaper in recent years but the cost needs to come down further – if more people use public transport, the whole city benefits in terms of a reduction in congestion and pollution. We need to make sure that ambitious travel plans such as BusConnects are rolled out but that communities are kept informed, and consulted about new changes. And we need to all work together to make sure that traffic disruption, where it is necessary to bring about changes to road layouts in order to facilitate these changes, is kept to a minimum and that our environment remains safe for vulnerable pedestrians.

To improve public transport in the city, I propose the following initiatives:

• Introduce the ability to use debit cards to tag onto buses, aligning with other EU countries for convenience and efficiency.
• Increase investment in public transport infrastructure, particularly in staffing and facilities at train stations to ensure lifts and other accessibility features are operational.
• Expand the capacity of BusConnects services, especially during peak times, to accommodate more passengers and reduce wait times.
• Enhance disability access for buses, including increasing the number of buses that can accommodate multiple wheelchair users simultaneously and ensuring equitable access for all passengers.
• Support and expand the BusConnects program to improve overall service and connectivity.
• Pressure Transport for Ireland (TFI) to address existing issues and invest in a new fleet of disability-friendly buses.
• Improve the placement and availability of Blue Badge parking to ensure better access for disabled individuals.
• Work to reduce the number of private cars on the roads, promoting public transport as a more cost-effective and efficient alternative.
• Lower the costs of public transport to make it more accessible and attractive to a broader range of people, encouraging its use over private vehicles.

Buses are most effective form of public transport (in terms of value for money and ease of provision) so we need to:

• Stop removing bus stops, such as the two stops on the Malahide Road at Danieli Road and Killester Avenue and the bus stop outside Brophy’s Opticians in Fairview (and the corresponding one across the road from Brophy’s) that have been servicing areas for years. Consider the hugely negative impact the removal of same will have on our vulnerable citizens and regular bus users and reverse these decisions.
• Attract more people the career of bus driver and ensure staff are kept saf respected and acknowledged for their work.
• Provide more buses on time with real time accurate information that commuters can rely on.
• Continue to have reduced rates for cross city fares.
• Market the huge benefits of bus services such as the N4, (Blanchardstown to Point Village) a route that does not go through the city, hence journey time is attractive.

We need to be far more ambitious with public transport and urban planning. Cities with far more advanced public transport systems still have many of the same challenges as Dublin. Addressing chaotic and unpredictable traffic in the long-term is tied to the housing crisis. It requires a rethink of how we plan and develop the city and affordable housing.

In the short-term, we need to support and develop rapid bus and rail transport networks which are unimpeded by traffic congestion. The number and reliability of buses needs to be improved. Rail networks, including the Luas and the DART, are significantly under-developed.

Significant infrastructure projects, taking far too long to progress. Quicker delivery of infrastructure is necessary to enable convenient public transport. Public transport should also be delivered in advance of major new residential developments so that convenient linkages exist when residents move in.

Workers and communities which are dependent on cars for longer distance travel need to be supported with timely public transport to reduce congestion and improve road safety. Motor traffic should be directed along the most efficient routes for reaching long-distance destinations, and the traffic system should enable quick movement along these corridors for all users. 

We need a lot more buses operating during peak times and smarter use of existing interconnected bus routes. I would like to introduce a direct bus route from Portmarnock, Howth, to East Point business park and into the city center which could take a lot of cars out of the traffic jam along Clontarf Road each morning. We have 130 brand new electric buses lying idle across Dublin due to lack of planning permission for the charging points. That is crazy.

Public transport is a major issue in our city. We have ongoing issues around access in our public train stations with lifts failing and unmanned stations. Even though it has improved it is still nowhere near where we need it to be and we need to see more staff in our stations to offer safety and security to commuters. 

Busconnects still has a way to go. People need to see increased capacity, as a lot of the time commuters are finding that buses are overcrowded and during peak morning times buses fly by full with people having to wait for extended periods before they can catch the next one. 24-hour bus corridors are welcome and we need to roll out more routes that can accommodate them, especially if we want people to leave their cars at home. 

Another huge issue is disability access and the fact only one wheelchair user can travel on a Dublin bus at any one time. Some buses can accommodate two wheelchairs and we need to put pressure on TFI to see that these are the busses purchased for our Dublin bus fleet. It will offer equality of independence for everyone in our community. 

Blue badge parking has been badly repositioned in our city. Bays have been relocated on roads with steep gradients, roads with no dropped kerbs and access to footpaths. We see blue badge parking with terrible bay positioning. Wheelchair users alighting into traffic and having to cross bike lanes to reach the safety of the footpaths. We see them placed beside poles and other physical barriers that need to be repositioned. We need to involve the disability community more when making these design changes as no one can advise us better than those with lived experience.

While we wait to move to more independent mobility we have to be mindful that some will always need personal transportation or their independence. Proper consultation and engagement and then acting on the findings from that process will help create a better public transport system for everyone.

Ensuring road safety and accessible transportation is fundamental to fostering secure and inclusive communities where individuals can live, work, and enjoy recreational activities without concern. The year 2023 witnessed the highest number of road fatalities in nearly a decade, with Dublin ranking the worst in public transportation among 30 European cities. The time for change is now.

We know that many children face challenges getting to school safely without a parent dropping them off, which not only poses a burden on parents but also limits young people's independence. In government, we would increase funding to allow children to get to school safely.

Promoting active modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking for those who are able to do so, will play a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis. For this to be realistic, it is so important that people feel confident that they can do so safely. We support carrying out comprehensive audits of all footpaths and implementing a program for footpath refurbishment to ensure that everyone can navigate their local area with ease.

I’m a supporter of Busconnects and am looking forward to the roll out of the core bus corridors – I think that will go some way towards improving public transport in many areas of the city. Some of the orbital routes which have been introduced are very welcome in the communities I work for. We need to work faster and smarter to deliver major infrastructure projects like the metro. We need to expand capacity on our existing services – LUAS, DART and bus.

In all of this we need to keep accessibility issues for people with disabilities accessing stations and the buses/trains/trams themselves front and centre. We have failed on that in the past and our public transport has acted to disable people so we need to be aware and prevent it from happening again. Most of the people I speak to are open to using public transport but we have to make it as easy and reliable for people as possible. It should be much less hassle to get the bus than taking your car. 

Segregated bike networks. Zebra crossings and upgraded crossing points. 30kph. Neighbourhood transport plans funded.

Continuous pavements as in C2CC project and upgrade and widen narrow and poor-quality pavements. More pedestrian crossings. Maintenance and cleaning of pavements and cycleways.

Bike parking, bike bunkers and more indoor bike parking that we were successful in getting in Jervis, Spire and Drury Street carparks.

More mobility hubs, shared range of bikes, cargo bikes and adapted bikes.

More bike training/skills courses for all ages.

More advocacy for the society and individual benefits of active transport.

Bike lanes and walking paths separated from traffic where they can be. **But in the right places. **The current Clontarf cycle lane is killing businesses in the village. I sometimes think that civil servants have no idea what it is like to run a business that suddenly finds itself separated from it customers through no fault of its own. Bank loans, payroll and (council!) rates still have to be met with a dwindling revenue. 

We should audit the most popular routes to cycle around the city for unseen hazards which may make it more difficult to walk or cycle – such as mixing of cycle lanes with pedestrian footfall, potholes and blind corners that can all put people off cycling and walking. We also need to enforce our existing parking rules to make sure that people using buggies, and those in wheelchairs, are not constantly forced out in the roadway by illegally parked cars. In those areas where the roadways are narrow, the City Council should work with local residents to find a solution that is safe for everyone.

To make it nicer and safer for people to get around the city on foot and by bike, I propose the following initiatives:

• Ensure safer bike lanes that are free of debris and properly maintained. Lanes should be raised to prevent them from becoming drains for stormwater, as seen on Griffith Avenue.
• Implement properly segregated bike lanes with clear visual markings to enhance safety and usability.
• Increase the number of pedestrianized streets, making them step-free to accommodate people with mobility issues.
• Reduce traffic congestion around schools to address safety issues for young children.
• Expand the rollout of more cycling lanes, ensuring they are well-received and beneficial once completed, as seen in areas like Marino and Clontarf.
• Install more zebra crossings to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility.
• Conduct audits of the most popular cycling routes to identify and address hazards.
• Enforce existing parking rules to prevent cars from obstructing pathways, ensuring people with buggies are not forced into the roadway.
• Prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over private car ownership, creating a more walkable and bike-friendly city environment.

Do an audit of footpaths and road surfaces in the city centre and set a specific budget for the:

• repair of footpaths;
• deep cleaning of footpaths;
• repair of potholes in the roads in the city centre.

On litter and waste in the city - make set times for leave out and collection of waste from businesses and households (that cannot accommodate wheelie bins) so as to avoid wildlife tearing open bags that are left out for collection. If we leave bags of waste out before midnight and they’re not collected until the following day, manor litter spots in our city streets will continue. We need to look for a longer term solution and perhaps create points where businesses and households (that cannot accommodate wheelie bins in their dwellings), can deposit their waste in a more robust manner similar to underground bins such as used by Liverpool City Council where wildlife cannot access same.

Protected and joined up pedestrian and cycling infrastructure must be planned across the city. Most of our lives and the city have been planned around cars for decades. Successfully tackling traffic congestion requires providing both public transport and active travel alternatives.

There are areas of the inner city with very low vehicle ownership rates and these communities need to be supported to move freely and safely around their local areas. If you are able-bodied or live close enough to work, cycling and walking can be an extremely convenient way to travel around the city and it should be promoted. Many of us are lucky enough to be able to take advantage of this, but not everyone can.

Workers and communities which are dependent on cars for longer distance travel need to be supported with timely public transport to reduce congestion and improve road safety. Motor traffic should be directed along the most efficient routes for reaching long-distance destinations, and the traffic system should enable quick movement along these corridors for all users. This can facilitate quieter streets off main carriageways and the development of dedicated cycling infrastructure.

Those who must use cars, such as people with disabilities and their carers or parents, must continue to be supported to access and travel across the city. 

I am a pedestrian, a cyclist and a motorist, so I can see all sides of this debate here. Generally, I accept that more protected cycle lanes around the city are a good thing from a safety and environmental perspective, but I think that all road users need to be considered as not everyone can cycle. Where such infrastructure schemes are undertaken, they should be built as quickly as possible. The "Clontarf to City Centre" (C2CC) project may be nice when it is finished, but has been a bit of a disaster so far, now in its third year, it has created traffic chaos across a lot of this area with people stuck in long tail backs, emitting more carbon emissions as they are now taking longer journeys on alternate routes as the north strand is no longer in use for private cars, will they be offered a refund on their motor tax? We need to also think of the elderly, the infirm, the blind etc, not everyone can cycle, particularly in the depths of winter in Ireland. Cyclists should also not break red lights and need to have equal regard for others. It seems to 2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad these days. The law has also recently changed regarding E-scooters and they should not be used on paths or by those under 16.

Bike lanes need to be made safer as some new lanes are already becoming clogged with foliage and debris. These lanes need to be raised to not inadvertently become drains for storm water as is the case with some of our new lanes most notably on Griffith Avenue. 

Properly segregated lanes with visual markings to make it very clear as to their purpose need to be a main priority around new infrastructure. For pedestrians, we need to see more streets pedestrianised. Creating safe zones for people to enjoy the city independently. These streets must be step-free and inclusive so everyone no matter what their ability or mobility can enjoy them.

Ensuring road safety and accessible transportation is fundamental to fostering secure and inclusive communities where individuals can live, work, and enjoy recreational activities without concern. The year 2023 witnessed the highest number of road fatalities in nearly a decade, with Dublin ranking the worst in public transportation among 30 European cities. The time for change is now.

We know that many children face challenges getting to school safely without a parent dropping them off, which not only poses a burden on parents but also limits young people's independence. In government, we would increase funding to allow children to get to school safely.

Promoting active modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking for those who are able to do so, will play a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis. For this to be realistic, it is so important that people feel confident that they can do so safely. We support carrying out comprehensive audits of all footpaths and implementing a program for footpath refurbishment to ensure that everyone can navigate their local area with ease.

In my time on the council, I have been supportive of all measures to improve walking and cycling facilities. In my own area the Griffith Avenue cycle lane and the larger Clontarf to City Centre project (C2CC) have had a mixed reception but I think once the work on the latter is complete, the cycle lanes are fully open and the lanes of traffic into town are open again, it will be worth it. 

I want to see a city where a ten-year-old can cycle to school or football or gymnastics without worrying about their safety. Think about how much the congestion reduces when the schools are off. If we make it safe for children to cycle, walk or scoot to school we’ve improved things for everyone – drivers included.  I hope to see in the coming term the further roll out of the North Central Area cycling network – including planned cycle lanes from Finglas to Killester and from Edge’s Corner to Parnell Street. This will involve, however, electing people who support these measures.

In terms of walking, I will be advocating for the roll out of more zebra crossings to give pedestrians right of way when crossing and of more of the continuous footpaths we see in the C2CC design. Then we need to get the basics right – keeping footpaths in good condition has been important to me during this term and I will push for greater investment in footpath repair and upkeep in the wider Clontarf local electoral area.

Greens founded on peace, equality and inclusion and are at work across Europe to support minorities.

• Support asylum seekers. Support integration initiatives. Funding For All groups. Hosting World Refugee Day in the Mansion House.
• It is a founding principle of the Green Party for a fairer distribution of the Earth's resources to address national and global poverty.
• Use integration funding to benefit communities that are lacking in amenities.
• Support creatively and cross-cultural conversations. Continue with policy of equality and inclusion working with communities.
• More community events, be mindful of inclusion and diversity when planning and promoting all Dublin City council events.

Firstly we need to take the emotion out of the debate. Many/Most of these migrants are doing what Irish people did in the States for decades. Some of you might remember the jokes about making up US social security numbers.

One of my friends recently suggested substituting the phrase “military aged male” to “draft dodger” or “pint drinking male”. 

Remember that Russia is amplifying hate and discord across Europe through massive bot farms /paid social media accounts and directly funding headbanger politicians.    HOWEVER.

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Ireland has a finite capacity to absorb immigrants. Essentially there is an infinite number of people who would prefer to live and work here compared to what we can accommodate. We need a working “fit for purpose” process and a disincentive to discourage economic migrants from choosing Ireland. 

My father was recently in hospital and the nurses who cared for him were immigrants. They did a fantastic job. 

Tents in Dublin city and parks are sending a terrible message. We need low cost and secure accommodation such as modular homes.

We need to separate the people running from a genuine war from the people looking for a nicer/easier life. We can’t be incentivising people to come here with large benefits and welfare. If some are exploiting the system, they should be sent home as we are at full capacity now. Also speed up the process of deportation.

People arriving from the UK, should especially be fast tracked. 

Immigrants living in an area should be encouraged to provide services to local clubs/tidy town committees [as some already do]: cleaning up litter, helping maintain local parks and the like. There is currently no upside for local communities housing a bunch of bored immigrants. This at least will give something back to the local area directly. In addition by getting local interactions, the effects of “othering” are reduced.

Good learning facilities and Internet could be provided to allow people to upskill through on-line courses and hopefully get sponsorship by a workplace in Ireland or elsewhere and get out of the system by themselves.   

But it’s complicated and I don’t have all the answers. 

In summary I think we need a citizens assembly to come up with a nuanced fair way to deal with this issue. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Social media aspect of this question needs a separate piece. Social Media Companies are making Billions (with a B) from disinformation and outrage content, and defending their right to make money “by defending free speech” (Hello Elon). 

Disinformation could be solved tomorrow with a couple of days coding and a willingness to forgo outrage dollars (that’s the hard part to solve).

For example, a post by Ryan McBeth outlines a good strategy.

There are four ways social media could prevent disinformation:

1. Vectorize images into a database and then search that database for matches whenever a new image is uploaded. Publish the date and context in which that image first appeared.
2. Inspect images for copyright. Deny the posting if an image was not purchased or offer the opportunity to purchase the image.
3. Truth score - Track the number of times a poster has been moderated.
4. Cool down - Restrict the number of times a user can post or share content. Implement a delay that increases as content is shared.

 

Free speech is important. This plan could be implemented with just a few coder-months’ worth of programming work and still ensure that people have a voice.

Everyone will be aware that it’s more common to hear racist and hateful language being used now than ever before. This is really worrying – and it’s scary how much of it is being fuelled by harmful misinformation on social media. We need to ensure regulation of social media companies who should be expected to ensure the content on their platforms is not designed to stir up hatred about vulnerable minorities. We also need to ensure our children are sufficiently protected and that they are not shown targeted content which is inappropriate for their ages.

I understand that where resources are limited, communities have concerns about immigration – but it is the government’s responsibility to address these concerns and to ensure Ireland remains the tolerant, open and progressive society it has always been. All of us want to see better services for our communities, but this doesn’t need to come at the cost of our international protection obligations, where people are fleeing the most desperate situations in their home countries. 

To counter the rise of the far right, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, and anti-asylum-seeker arsons, I propose the following initiatives:

• Address the root causes of these issues by improving government policies to offer hope and positive communication rather than demonizing individuals.
• Organize more community events, programs, and festivals that promote diversity and inclusion, such as those held in Bram Stoker Park, to help integrate all members of the community.
• Combat social media misinformation by providing accurate information and better services for all community members.
• Support the Gardai in their efforts to protect vulnerable communities and enforce laws against hate crimes.
• Streamline and improve the immigration system to reduce delays and frustrations that can contribute to anti-immigrant sentiments.
• The Govt, by not communicating with local communities in a transparent way with full information , has created a vacuum which has been filled with racist disinformation by far right groups.

We need to listen to what people are saying about immigration/ asylum seeking, and address peoples’ concerns; explain what exactly in happening in terms of why immigrants and asylum seekers wish to come here, clearly explain the various systems that are in place in terms of those persons seeking asylum, those applying for work permits, citizenship etc so as to reduce the misinformation in our communities about this issue.

In relation to arson attacks I would constantly highlight the heavy penalties that exist in our legal system, that persons who engage in such horrendous activity will be subjected to, if/when convicted. Anyone who engages in such activity should face the full rigours of the law.

On the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, education is key here to tackle this hate behavour.

I will be a voice for a fair, equal and diverse society. All sections of our communities must be able to feel safe and included. Arson attacks have no place in our society and I condemn these attacks.

People should be angry at the failure of the political establishment to provide affordable housing and strong local health services, for example. Ordinary workers have been failed time and again. This affects us all, and the blame lies squarely at the feet of Government and those with real power in our society, not with any minority group.

The Gardaí must be supported to tackle criminality, including attacks on people and property. At the same time, I believe that much more can and should be done to support the strength and diversity of our local communities through community events.

Most of us know and understand that there are issues with our immigration system, particularly international protection. We have known for years that Direct Provision is not fit for purpose, that processing times have taken too long, and that there are clear failings around enforcement. People living and working here on visas often report difficulties with the immigration system taking far too long.

The failures in the system have come to the fore and there are people making millions from this dysfunction. We should all be angry at this, too, and demanding that it is fixed. This election is an opportunity for real change which can tackle the inequalities and failures which have the potential to significantly harm and divide our society. 

The best way to counter the rise of the far right is to run local and national government schemes openly and fairly where the public is kept informed and onside, where resources are shared fairly. Also, "far right" is a descriptive position of relativity to something else, that may give rise to the next question, to the right of what? What does it mean? Does it mean being opposed to the "far left"? It's too simplistic a line that shuts down debate on many legitimate areas of concern in public and political life. For example, it is now clear that this government has lost control of immigration as the Department of Integration is no longer able to offer accommodation to everyone arriving and is instead providing tents one day, and taking them away the next. Is it "far-right" to notice this, or speak about it? We should always oppose any forms of extremism and hatred or persecution of anyone in society regardless of their immigration status, sexual orientation etc. We are all equal before the laws of this land, and I believe is adequately covered under the existing Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act rather than needing further "hate speech" legislation to police our thoughts and words. When people have differences of opinion of matters of policy, this should always be settled through open respectful debate, where free speech is upheld and respected. Arson is highly dangerous and illegal, anyone caught engaging in such behavior should be punished to the full extent under law.

The rise of the right-wing, anti-immigrant narrative is a result of the failed policies of successive governments over the past 25 years. Communities feel left behind and abandoned.

The housing crisis is having a massive negative impact on our society. People are feeling hopeless with no chance of living independently outside the family home and are very angry at this prospect.

Individuals who would never have had any concern for our communities are now stoking the flames of frustration and hopelessness and targeting people who need us to help them the most. This is creating huge tension and fear. 

It all comes back to housing and offering hope. We need to offer hope to people, hope they can live independently of the family home. We live in a multicultural society, one that is reliant on migrants to keep its hospitals going, public busses driving and supermarkets open.

We have to resist the narrative being pushed from a place of hatred and to do what we Irish have always done best, offer the hand of friendship and solidarity and welcome people into our multicultural society just as we have been welcomed the world over.

We should encourage more community days whereby we bring all the community together and show people we have a lot more in common than those who seek to divide us would have us believe.

I am committed to advocating for a society that upholds principles of fairness, equality, diversity, and inclusivity. It is essential that every part of our community, especially marginalised groups, feel safe, represented, and free of the fear of harm. Acts of arson targeting accommodation for asylum seekers are unjustifiable and have no place in our society, and I strongly condemn such attacks.

Like so many people out there I am upset, angered and frightened by the rise in this kind of sentiment and action. Like most of my constituents and community I value inclusion, diversity and a warm Irish welcome. I consider myself an activist as much as a public representative and one of the key reasons I am in this role is to actively push back against the tide of this kind of hatred.

Over the years, I have attended countless solidarity marches, Trans Pride parades, Dublin for All gatherings and the like. I am an active and proud member of the Dublin Bay North for All (DBN for All) team and in the past year have been involved in organising a diversity and inclusion family festival in Bram Stoker park with members from across our community, both long standing and more recently arrived, which was attended by approx. 3,000 and featured performances from a variety of nationalities and cultures.

In recent weeks, I have helped through the DBN for All group with fundraising for the men seeking asylum at the International Protection Office on Mount Street – raising over €9k to meet immediate needs and then transferring the remaining amount to the Muslim Sisters of Eire and the Movement of Asylum Seekers of Ireland to continue supporting new arrivals. People’s anger and fear at – in my experience –a lack of housing for them, their children and their grandchildren is being weaponised by a minority of far right actors and we need to provide alternatives to direct that anger where it belongs – at the failure over decades to provide public and affordable housing, at the underinvestment in disability services and supports, health care, education and so on.

It is up to those of us who value a diverse inclusive Dublin to build an alternative to the hate that is being pushed, an alternative that focuses on everyone having access to the basics that allow for a decent life.