Since I have taken office in May 2019 we have seen a big emphasis on delivery of Social and Affordable Housing on our Council. Social housing we have seen triple the amount of units delivered locally versus the last 3 terms on DCC combined.

Affordable purchase for young people and families is important and we will see this for first time in many years on our council with Oscar Traynor Woods with 172 homes. Our council needs to prioritise delivery of affordable purchase in the coming term.

I would advocate that the city council uses its powers for Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for long term vacant buildings in the city. There are too many buildings lying derelict for 10+ years in the city, that could be easily brought into use, especially for affordable housing.

I also want to ensure that I am voting for developments that will include a good level of social and affordable housing, and get them built. There are too many on Dublin City Council (DCC) who will talk the talk, but when it comes down to it, vote against building social and affordable homes.

We need to switch our approach to housing towards a cost-rental model, which is a key Green Party policy. Housing is not just a commodity – it’s part of our lives and communities, and we should treat it as such. Derelict/Vacant sites and houses need to be brought back into action, alongside other possible housing that is currently unused, such as living spaces above shops.

More social and affordable housing is one of my main priorities and not just for this campaign, but it has been for over a decade now. Since I have had my own lived experience of homelessness and long waiting lists. Unfortunately, I am in the age bracket where it is impossible to think that I would ever own my own home. I also have 3 children who I also fear will have the same experience with housing when they are old enough to want to live independently. 

Therefore, as a Sinn Féin councillor and as a mother, I will fight until I cannot, for more social and affordable housing. I joined Sinn Féin because of their housing policies and our proposals to

• Build 21,000 new homes p/a. 
• Put a month's rent back into the people’s pockets.
• Introduce temporary mortgage interest relief.

I will also ensure that an equal distribution of these homes is planned in any future developments to include traveller, accessible and elderly accommodation. The tenant in situ scheme needs to be quicker and allocated a bigger budget. The rates of buying a house have increased significantly and the DCC need to be able to match it.

When it comes to homeless services, I meet people every day through homelessness and I help them navigate the services and advocate for them. I have had people (families with children, single people etc.) who are refused accommodation until an assessment date – leaving them to sleep on the streets or in their cars (if they have one) and wait for an outreach team to arrive that night to source accommodation, or a sleeping bag in most cases. I promise to keep working with people, but as a councillor – I promise to work with the council to secure more accommodation availability with the correct supports in place that people with a pregnancy/addiction and everything else need.

Homelessness is traumatising, no matter your situation – I will fight for those supports to be there when they are needed most and ensure that people are not just left alone to deal with their situation.

Major public housing programme, led and funded by central government, delivered by the Council, providing social and affordable homes to rent and to buy. 

The first issue is that a lot of social housing and public land has been sold to private developers and vulture funds - we need to ban the sale of public property and land to vulture/cuckoo funds and private developers.

The state must establish its own construction company - one whose main focus is to build good-quality, affordable public housing, rather than expensive for-profit housing. Private developers have wrought havoc on the Irish housing system for too long, as seen with the Mica scandal in the north-west of the island, and the new Children’s Hospital.

The councils need to tackle housing vacancy and dereliction. There are 166,000 empty houses in Ireland - 10 for every homeless person. Houses that have been vacant for years should be purchased by the council and made available for people on the housing list. A state-owned construction company would allow these homes to be renovated by the councils at an affordable price.

After years of government reliance on the private sector it is clear that free market politics will not solve our housing crisis. To a large extent, private developers currently decide what type of housing is built, where it is built, how much is built, how much is charged to rent/buy, how long the lease is and so on. This extraordinary divestment of government responsibility has led to disaster.

We need to use public land to build social and affordable housing - this is the only certain way in the short-to-medium term to deliver housing faster and at affordable prices.

We need to build a balanced blend of affordable purchase homes, affordable rent homes and social homes on publicly owned land to ensure sustainable communities and a strong tenancy mix. The Social Democrats will legislate to prohibit the sale of state land suitable for building homes.

Rather than feeding the insatiable, winner-takes-all “market”, we must use this land to build homes that give ordinary people comfort, safety and housing security. Local and national government must prioritise the provision of social and affordable homes in socially mixed communities.

Fine Gael is the party of homeownership, if elected I will ensure that public land is used to build both public and private housing. I believe that working together with FG colleagues, we can work to get the 16,000 social, affordable and private homes now in the pipeline for the North Central Area built more quickly. Practical and imaginative collaboration rather that ideological grand standing can get this done.

We have made significant progress in government's "Housing for All" plan. In Dublin:

• 57,705 new homes completed under 'Rebuilding Ireland’/’Housing for All’, 2016-23.
• 12,634 new homes completed in 2023 compared to 10,369 new homes completed in 2022. This will continue to rise in 2024.
• 22,869 new and refurbished social houses brought on stream since 2016.

This has only been achievable by having a robust construction sector, showcasing substantial growth in output compared to trends across Europe.

Additionally, Fine Gael is empowering individuals on their journey to homeownership. First-time buyer activity is at its highest since 2008, thanks to schemes such as the Help to Buy scheme, offering up to €30,000 in income tax rebates, and the First Home Scheme, bridging the financial gap for eligible purchasers. While progress has been made, there's still work ahead. Our aim is to sustain this momentum, ensuring the government continues to deliver a significant number of social, affordable, and private homes.

With housing as our top priority, Fine Gael has implemented policies aimed at boosting the supply of new homes. These include:

• The Land Development Agency, which is constructing new homes on publicly-owned land across the country.
• The Serviced Sites Fund and the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, utilizing state funding to prepare sites by establishing essential infrastructure such as roads, water, and waste-water facilities, enabling developers to commence building new homes.
• The Repair and Lease Scheme, assisting city and county councils in refurbishing vacant homes.
• The Croí Conaithe Schemes, facilitating the increase of apartments and compact development in urban communities, while also aiding in the transformation of derelict properties into homes in rural areas.

In addition to addressing supply, Fine Gael is dedicated to supporting first-time buyers in purchasing or constructing their first home. Since 2017, over 150,000 first-time buyers have achieved this milestone, with nearly 500 individuals becoming first-time homeowners each week.

To aid first-time buyers, Fine Gael has introduced and expanded various schemes, including:

• The Help to Buy Scheme, offering a tax refund of up to €30,000 for use as a deposit, with over 43,600 people approved for this scheme to date.
• The First Home Scheme, a shared-ownership initiative with the State, with more than 3,200 individuals approved.
• The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, where buyers co-own their home with the city or county council.
• The Local Authority Home Loan, a State-backed mortgage tailored for homeowners.

As a Sinn Fein councillor I would be working to deliver on the Sinn Fein housing policy that includes :

• Build 21,000 social and affordable homes – 7,300 more than government target – as part of the biggest house building programme in the history of the state
• Put one month’s rent (up to €2,000) back into renters pockets and ban increases for three years
• Introduce temporary, targeted mortgage interest relief – This would cover 30% of increased interest payments up to a max of €1,500. There have been ten increases in interest rates with 40% of mortgage holders paying at least an additional €3,000 a year

The Council are working hard to Retrofit existing social housing units to bring them up in standard. A bigger emphasis from the council to ensure sufficient resources are being invested in our current Social Housing.

More resources from Government will help move retrofitting up a level in improving the conditions of the current housing stock. The is something I will pursue if I am reelected to our City Council.

I would extend the eviction ban until sensible rental rights are enacted. Right now, the thresholds for evicting a good, hard working and loyal tenant is very low. People are often forced to uproot their whole lives at short notice without any good reason. We want to remove so called ‘no fault’ evictions as well as removing the grounds which allows a landlord to end a tenancy on the basis that they intend to sell the property within three months.

To tackle the affordability crisis, I am calling for the introduction of a register of rental properties so that prospective tenants can see exactly what other tenants have paid in rent in the past. I also want to see an eviction ban until the above is introduced in full.

A greater amount of Cost Rental properties will push the cost of rent in private properties downwards. Increased inspections of privately rented housing will ensure better conditions in existing housing. Craft teams should refurbish units in unison, rather than waiting for each issue to be solved one by one. Increasing the DCC apprenticeship recruitment will reduce skill shortages and quicken upgrades to social housing.

This comes down to a lack of resources available and it is not considered a priority in budgets. 

I will ensure that it is a priority. I will fight for a bigger budget to be allocated to repairs and maintenance. DCC need to employ skilled tradespeople. Outsourcing is handy but, we have since learned it does not work efficiently. It’s silly really that this is not more of a priority, the longer something is left – the worse it gets. Meaning it will then cost even more to repair.

This includes the council taking responsibility for H/HAP tenancies too. 

Traveller accommodation needs serious investment from the council too. I have heard from and spoken to some of the women in my area and they have been calling for essential resources from the council and they are yet again left waiting. I will ensure that these issues are constantly in any housing maintenance motions I put forward.

In regards, to the private rental sector, the RTB need to play a pivotal role here in ensuring that lease agreements are met by not just the tenants, but the landlords too, when it comes to maintenance. A dedicated team needs to be implemented to deal exclusively with these issues.

I have seen situations where tenants have been excellent tenants but their landlord does not fulfil their end of the agreement by maintaining the property or expects the tenants to take on the maintenance (“because they live there”). 

Currently, it can take months to get anywhere with a complaint through the RTB. I have worked on cases where the deposit was a nightmare to get back because of this. Therefore, putting the tenant out of pocket for their new home.

In social housing the budget for maintenance needs to be increased and staffing also needs to be addressed. The resources of PRTB need to be enhanced to on help ensure that standards and rights in the private rented sector are implemented. 

I would support a mass retrofitting campaign across all existing social housing, to make homes more energy-efficient - which saves both the environment and our money on energy bills.

Tenants’ rights need to be protected - illegal evictions must end and the facilitation of illegal evictions by Gardaí must be investigated. Landlords should not be able to hire private security firms to carry out evictions. Unions such as Community Action Tenants’ Union (CATU) should be recognised by the councils for the important work they do.

I would support funding far more maintenance crews in DCC. The outsourcing of maintenance work to private firms has stretched waiting times for urgent repair work to years. DCC should directly train and employ people to carry out this essential work.

We need to introduce real protections for people who rent and people in social housing. For people to feel that they are in their home and that they are a real part of their local community they need to feel secure in the place they live, safe in the knowledge that it is their long-term home. If people are unsure if they will be in the same dwelling in six months time it leads to great personal insecurity and predictable social problems in an area due to a transient population with little attachment to the area.

It’s hard to believe that we are still fighting for the basic rights that were sought by the Land League 150 years ago but improving conditions in 2024 still boils down to security of tenure and fair rents. In both cases we need to stop sitting back hoping private developers and landlords will provide - we need active intervention from local and national government.

Similarly, in terms of social housing we need direct action from local and national government - it is bizarre that, despite repeated failure, the government still engages in wishful thinking that the private sector will provide.

As a Fine Gael candidate for local elections, my approach to improving conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented, revolves around prioritizing energy-efficient upgrades. By emphasizing incentives for such upgrades, we can not only reduce utility costs for residents but also contribute to environmental sustainability and enhance overall comfort levels. I believe the Council should target the homes of older people to help them to undertake energy upgrades, to adapt homes to their needs or to right size if that is their wish. Existing Council accommodation for older people needs to be upgraded too. More regular inspection of private accommodation by the Council is needed.

One key initiative I would advocate for is leveraging programs like the Fully Funded Energy Upgrades under SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland). This program has shown promising results, with nearly 5,900 upgrades completed in 2023 alone, marking a significant increase from previous years. By focusing on deeper home retrofits, we can ensure that a substantial portion of homes receive comprehensive improvements, leading to more sustainable and energy-efficient living spaces.

Furthermore, I believe in promoting initiatives like the Community Energy Grant (CEG) scheme, which supports energy upgrade projects not only in individual homes but also in community buildings and facilities. By encouraging aggregated applications and community-wide efforts, we can amplify the impact of these upgrades, leading to substantial energy savings and reductions in CO2 emissions.

In 2023, the CEG scheme delivered over 600 home energy upgrades, with a notable improvement in energy efficiency, including the installation of heat pumps and upgrades to a B2 BER rating or better. Additionally, non-residential projects, including community buildings and local businesses, also benefited from significant energy savings and environmental contributions.

By championing programs like these, I aim to address both the immediate needs of residents for improved living conditions and the broader goals of sustainability and environmental responsibility within our communities.

Within Dublin the local authorities do not have the capacity or resources to fully assess and inspect private rental properties and therefore cannot be effective in ensuring compliance with the standards. We need to increase the staffing and resources allocated to relevant departments as a priority to ensure all rented accommodations come up to an acceptable standard. Furthermore, no tenant should be hesitant to report issues with their home for fear of repercussions.

We see both locally and within the City Centre the issues around waste and rubbish left on our streets.

I have worked hard in my term to fund the Councillor Discretionary funds for more Big Belly Bins locally with 6 news in my area since 2019. During the term we have seen 18 new bins installed locally to combat rubbish issues.

With new legislation around the use of CCTV Cameras to help deter repeat offenders will be a game changer for our city. We need to take serious action in cleaning up our city streets this will allow us be proactive in preventing illegal dumping.

More bins and Litter wardens. There are plenty of parks and public spaces that you won’t find a bin to dispose of your rubbish properly. But we need a sensible property tax system to do this. Many current councillors on DCC who will ask for more bins or workers, but then vote to slash the main revenue generator for the city. We can’t have it both ways.

More bins are needed across the entire city. Few fines for dog poo have been issued – if the fine is going to exist then it needs to be enforced. Community Wardens are another great way to make our city less dirty. While making the city feel less dirty is nice – the aim should be to actually make it less dirty.

I have seen the Instagram account of the nighttime crew from DCC out cleaning up the city centre and they work hard!

However, we need this locally too! Extending the team, recruiting more staff, and expanding the budget to do so is what I would fight for.

I have been to Budapest and they have some good ideas from what I’ve seen. There are bins everywhere. Hanging off the bus stop signs, attached to the shop walls – everywhere! I was impressed by how clean the city was.

I will take inspiration from this and fight for more bins, and more water stations around our locality (to reduce the plastic bottles). 

Regarding illegal dumping, we need more recycling centres. We need more of the mattress and bulky item collections. It’s essentially a need for a public waste service. I understand that some people cannot afford to dispose of waste through private waste services. The council need to understand this too.

When it comes to dog poo, again more bins are needed to tackle this. However, there also needs to be more wardens and fines. It’s a huge issue and totally not fair to those who are wheelchair-bound, blind or young children who may fall. We need a big campaign about it, but ultimately, people need to do their part. Hopefully, fighting for more wardens – will decrease this issue.

More bins, more litter wardens, more fining and prosecution of offenders. Waste reduction and elimination at source is also hugely important. Takeaway outlets need to bear more responsibility. 

Major investment into public waste management is needed - public bins are not being maintained and are even being removed by DCC.

I would support a mass information campaign by DCC around responsible dog ownership and waste management, and the environmental and social issues around these.

We cannot rely on people’s goodwill alone to tackle dumping and dog waste - we need more investment into public waste management, including hiring litter wardens and publicly-owned waste management facilities.

Dublin City Council has been cutting back on services for years due to insufficient funding and a reliance on central government. The Council needs greater funding and independence to tackle issues like litter and dog poo. As a teacher I also feel education is needed to help with a sense of civic pride and responsibility so people pick up their waste and don’t litter - a small part of me dies when I see dog dirt in a plastic bag thrown on the ground!

In terms of making the city feel “less dirty” there is no question that dereliction and vacant retail units, particularly in the area I love, the north inner city, are a major blight that drag down the area. Retail inits cannot be allowed to sit unused for years and a carrot and stick approach is required to ensure this does not happen.

A sense of pride in communities is created through clean and safe streets. I believe our tidy towns groups are under funded by our council and I strongly advocate that they receive more resources for the great work that they do. I am also keenly aware of dumping in our community and believe it is unacceptable for communities to have to suffer at the hands of a few. Dublin City Council must get tougher on those who dump. I am working closely with communities right across Raheny and Donaghmede to ensure there is adequate provision of bins and waste facilities. I believe the city needs to manage its waste in a more sustainable way, and I would like to see more initiatives like the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun.

Back in 2019, Sinn Fein started the ‘Take Back the Bins’ campaign. We are the only state in Europe with a completely privatised waste collection service, and this has led to massive illegal dumping. Some areas in Dublin have up to 12 private bin companies which are too expensive, and are lacking in regulation. If the bin services are taken back into public ownership this will help tackle illegal dumping.

In relation to the dog poo, figures released by Dublin City Council show just eight fines were issued between 2019 and 2023 with just one fine for dog fouling paid. We need more staff to issue the fines and we need more awareness campaigns around the impact of dog poo on footpaths especially for people who are visually impaired and wheelchair users.

Fianna Fáil in government have focused on bringing dereliction and vacant units back into use with the likes of Croí Cónaithe Grant. 

I would like to see our councils given stronger powers to CPO and renovate derelict and vacant buildings in our city. Our council should be able to access more central funding to repurpose buildings for housing.

I want a proper register of vacant and derelict properties that can be fed into by the public, as many in the city know where is vacant in their own neighbourhoods / estates, but DCC are overwhelmed and can be slow to react. Once we have the addresses they can be inspected and if necessary, CPOs can be utilised to bring these buildings into use especially for social and affordable housing.

Vacancy and dereliction need to be recorded properly. If a site/house is not going to be used, then the Council should CPO it and put it to use.

We have had a housing crisis for a very long time, people crying out for homes, and we have derelict buildings… Again, the maintenance team I mentioned for repairs (above) is critical to keeping homes open and ready to move into. 10 years ago, I first talked about derelict and boarded-up houses (voids) and it still hasn’t been resolved. 

There is one house in my own constituency that really stands out to me, it’s been boarded up for about a year now. Works have started now, but that goes to show the length of time it takes to get around to it. That house should have been a home by now. There needs to be a time frame put in place and kept to. I’ve watched apartment blocks go up quicker than the turnover of DCC housing stock.

The council also needs to put in more effort to buy derelict buildings and make them secure social housing. There is also a lot of waste when houses are being done up for new tenants. This needs to stop too. I’m sure there are things that could be put to good use.

We need stronger planning laws to tackle vacancy and dereliction. Current laws are stacked in favour of owners - especially speculators and developers- and against the public interest of the city and citizens. 

I would support establishing a state construction company to repair and retrofit derelict, publicly-owned property, to provide suitable homes and community centres for the public.

DCC needs to conduct audits of vacant and derelict homes in Dublin, and impose a tax and properties that have been vacant for a prolonged period of time. I have come across houses in Donaghmede LEA which have been derelict for over a decade according to neighbours, yet do not appear on the council’s Derelict Properties Register.

Houses that have been derelict for years should be purchased and renovated by the council and made available for social housing. We are in the most severe housing and homelessness crisis in the history of the state - it is unacceptable that so many people and families are homeless while these houses remain vacant and falling into disrepair.

In the middle of a housing crisis, it is utterly unacceptable that properties are allowed to remain vacant without good reason. The Vacant Homes Tax is set at far too low a level and is simply neither punitive nor a deterrent. We need a vacancy tax that has an actual impact on vacancy and dereliction and this means setting the tax at a significantly higher rate.

As a Fine Gael Local election candidate, I am committed to maximizing the utilization of existing residential spaces in our community. Rather than solely focusing on constructing new residences, Fine Gael recognizes the importance of repurposing existing vacant and neglected properties to foster community rejuvenation.

I believe that there is more potential for the Council’s Vacant Homes Officer to target interventions to tackle vacancy. Our efforts are bolstered by the €150 million revolving fund, outlined in the 2023 progress report, specifically designated to address prolonged vacancy and dereliction in major towns and cities. This fund, accessible to local authorities through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), signifies a pivotal step towards revitalizing various locales nationwide, nurturing lively communities within urban hubs.

Crucially, this initiative offers full grant aid covering property acquisition costs, supplemented by an upfront allocation of 20% to ensure local authorities possess adequate resources for addressing this pressing issue.

Moreover, this supplementary funding complements several other initiatives aimed at repurposing vacant and dilapidated buildings into residences, thereby facilitating community revitalization. Notably, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant has recently been enhanced, offering a maximum of €50,000 for vacant properties and €70,000 for derelict ones. Furthermore, the eligibility for this grant has been expanded to encompass rental properties and those constructed up to and including 2007. Since its launch in July 2022, nearly 3,000 applications have been processed, underscoring the significant impact of these initiatives in revitalizing our communities.

As Dublin City Councillor I would lobby to restore the funding that was cut to Dublin City Council budget to restore “voids”. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green party cut the 2024 budget by a drop of €15 million on 2023's funding. The lack of funding means vacant council houses will stay `boarded up' due to funding. There are about 500 council homes in Dublin city waiting to be refurbished , 500 homes that could be made available.

This has been coming up a lot on the doors with people concerned about our City Centre not being safe. I feel we need a serious investment from Government to tackle our city problems. PR stunts will not work we need to focus on a strategy for our City renewal. 

My focus would be on Northside with  O’Connell Street and surrounding streets needing major improvements. 

We need visibility on our Street from our Gardai. Garda resources need to be better managed and a focus on increasing the numbers in urban areas versus retaining the status quo in smaller towns and villages is something the commissioner needs to prioritise.

Community policing. More Gardaí on the street alone isn’t an answer, we need to feel safe with our Gardaí as well, so that they are known to us day to day. The updating of street lights needs to be accelerated. The new LED bulbs are not just more environmentally friendly, but studies have shown that they lead to a decrease in anti social behaviour vs the old, orange lights.

Greater visibility of the Gardaí is needed. But policing is not the solution, it is merely a band-aid. We need to tackle the social and economic issues that lead to crime and fear. Other approaches such as passive surveillance should be focused on too.

A team of dedicated community Gardaí who are involved in the community. I know that the community Garda in my constituency is working very hard on this at the moment. So, we need more initiatives for them to be involved in and we need more community gardaí in our station. We also need another station in our community.

However, we need an increase in local services too. More facilities for kids to have something to do. Well-lit and cctv’d public spaces. Increased transportation. The list goes on. We need to work with the community and see why the issues are arising and what we can all work on together to improve it.

More neighbourhood watch programmes would work but only if the community is invested in and the community policing is better connected to residents to build trust.

There are huge issues in my constituency around the use of drugs and drug related intimidation. People are afraid to go to the Garda about it, because there is little trust.

Issues like this start from a young age and we are severely under resourced in our community services (who have the tools). Our schools do not have sufficient programmes on a regular basis to tackle issues such as nitros oxide etc. They are trying and I see that, but there is a massive need to fund these projects. I will fight alongside the community on this and work with anyone who has any ideas on how to tackle it and reduce it.

Support services in the area for anyone who is experiencing addiction also need to be well funded.

We need a wraparound support system (that’s well funded) for the community and the community sector alongside the Gardai, that is what’s needed.

More Gardaí on the streets. And more community Gardaí who need to be allowed to integrate with the community and not repeatedly transferred. 

We need more late-night and 24-hour public transport routes. As a woman who has worked in hospitality for several years, I know how difficult and scary it can be to get home in Dublin late at night. More than once I have found myself stranded in town without any buses or taxis around. Public transport workers should be offered higher pay rates for late-night work.

Given the rise in racist, homophobic, and misogynistic attacks in Dublin in recent years, I would support more campaigns around inclusion and integration. Community centres are vital spaces for social clubs and activities that are genuinely accessible and can help communities grow and integrate - DCC should open more community centres and fund activities in them. The city would feel safer if we were able to create genuine communities in our areas - but competition for space from multinational companies and extortionate rents and insurance rates has destroyed this.

Petty crime has been linked to poverty, and the most effective way to genuinely reduce it is to tackle poverty and economic inequality. Need more investment into public services - such as healthcare, education, and housing - that have been run into the ground by decades of neoliberal policies under Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party.

Some parties argue for higher police presence to make us feel “safe” but those of us from working-class or marginalised communities know that Gardaí often create more problems than they solve. They cannot prevent crime, only respond to it. We need a long-term response that tackles the root causes of crime in our society, rather than punishing people who have been dealt a hard lot in life. More funding for public services such as transport, housing, mental health services, community spaces, would help alleviate some of the issues that often lead to crime.

As a dad and a teacher I know that personal responsibility is vital, as is holding people accountable for their behaviour. Enforcing the law is essential - but this is only part of the solution. Young people also need diversions and alternatives - this is where Dublin City Council can make a huge difference. The council needs to take an active role, providing communities with amenities, sports facilities and recreation centres that can help bring cohesion and a sense of purpose. There are numerous paths to making Dublin safer and they are all important.

Ensuring citywide safety is a top priority for me, deeply rooted in Fine Gael's commitment to secure streets and resilient communities. In Donaghmede, we've taken significant steps towards this goal.

This year on 15th March 2024, we had an official launch of Neighbourhood Watch programme for Parkside Estate in Balgriffin. I have been working closely with the residents to establish this programme with the help of our Gardai and it is now fully operational. Through the collective effort of all those involved we have a mechanism which helps us look out for one another.

We are also developing comprehensive Community Safety Plans in conjunction with local groups and authorities. These plans encompass initiatives such as improving lighting and installing security cameras, addressing addiction issues, and increasing police patrols. I shall campaign for a substantial budget from the Council to support the objectives of the new Community Safety Plans, targeting black spots. By pooling resources and joining forces, we can collectively address safety concerns and witness tangible improvements.

I recently advocated for safer communities with Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee. We discussed the necessity for enhanced safety measures and increased police presence in Raheny, Kilbarrack, Belmayne, Donaghmede, and Clongriffin. Dealing with antisocial behaviour demands a concerted effort from law enforcement, government, and local communities alike.

If you're part of a local group, I urge you to reach out and ensure your voice is heard in our ongoing efforts to create safer neighbourhoods.

An increase in Garda presence is required which in turn means looking at the recruitment and retention within Garda Síochána , this would include a Dublin Allowance for members. Alongside this, we need to ensure we have adequate lighting in areas that are prone to be dark at night, more CCTV in strategic locations to deter anti-social behaviour and crime. Also this could be used to provide evidence in the event of a crime.

Local communities should be supported to set up Neighbourhood Watch programs, thus creating a safer community by Involving the community: Encouraging community members to participate in safety initiatives and be proactive in reporting incidents .

Our Transport infrastructure is not adequate for Dublin City. Metro North is important strategic piece of infrastructure for our City but I think investing in our DART and delivering greater services for it.

We should also open up the conversation again on expanding the DART network towards Dublin Airport before we lose the opportunity to extend the service before we become built up.

Obviously Metro North needs to start, and we need to elect councillors who will focus on its completion and do what they can to get it through. This is not just about the areas it will / will not go through, but it will help take pressures off other services, leading to a more efficient and comfortable service, that people will want to use.

The extension of the Dart needs to coincide with ensuring longer carriages are counted for. Rush hour commutes can almost be dangerous with the heat in the morning by the time the southbound trains reach Clongriffin.

I would also like to see a taskforce established with all stakeholders involved to make sure all stations are accessible not only in name but in actual use. Too often lifts are broken rendering the station useless to those who have mobility issues.

Lower fares and more frequent buses. Continue the rollout of Busconnects and the City Centre Transport Plan, and push the construction of the Metro with plans made for more. The more people that switch to public transport where possible, the quicker it will become, as there will be less congestion – improving the service.

We need better transport links and more scheduled routes. We need cheaper fares to encourage people to use the services more and we need more security on transport and stations.

There are plenty of examples in other countries to show how we could make transport more efficient. We don’t have to think too outside the box to have it better here.

Services need to be more accessible too. Lifts at stations need to be constantly monitored and maintained. For instance, Clongriffin train station – the lifts are not reliable for those that rely upon them. This is not acceptable!

What I can assure the residents of Donaghmede is - I will work with you to fight for better services and accessibility.

More buses, trams and trains. Fewer private cars in the city centre. 

I support the introduction of free, frequent, and green public transport in Dublin.

Major investment needed into DART services - many stations left without attending staff and lifts always broken, as highlighted by groups for disability rights such as Access For All, and residents’ associations such as Myrtle Coast Residents’ Association near Clongriffin station.

Jobs in public transport need to be protected and made more accessible, especially to young people. Pay cuts, diminishing rights, and precarious working conditions have contributed to many Dublin Bus drivers quitting, for example. The trade union movement has a role to play here, but the attempts to privatise bus routes need to be opposed by all of us.

We need more 24hr public transport routes in the city. Many people working in care, construction, or service industries are left without public transport options because of their working hours.

Dublin’s roads are extremely congested. Travel times are among the slowest in any European city. We need to do much more to give people real alternatives to using their cars.

I support major investment in public transport. This means the expansion of bus routes, more frequent services, more bus lanes, greater subsidies to encourage use of public transport, safe segregated cycle lanes, an increase in Dart services and much more. 

The gridlock on Dublin’s roads is deeply frustrating, adds to unpredictable journey times and contributes to the climate change crisis we face. There is no one, single solution that will alleviate this. Instead we must implement an array of approaches to ensure people have real alternatives to taking the car.

Improving public transport is vital for a more accessible and efficient city network. Increasing service frequency and enhancing connectivity between different modes of transport is crucial. Coordination between transport operators and local authorities is necessary to streamline routes and reduce waiting times.

Accessibility should be prioritised, with investments in accessible vehicles and infrastructure for people with disabilities. Fare policies should also prioritise affordability for low-income individuals. If I get elected, I will campaign for Mobility Hubs and a substantial public EV charging network.

Transitioning to sustainable transportation is imperative for reducing carbon emissions. This involves investing in electric vehicles, expanding cycling infrastructure, and promoting initiatives like carpooling and ride-sharing.

BusConnects aims to transform Dublin's bus system, providing faster, more reliable, and more frequent services. Collaborating with stakeholders, we can ensure a comprehensive and inclusive public transport system that meets the needs of all residents.

For me the priority would be to ensure that everyone can access public transport safely. Here in the Donaghmede LEA we have Clongriffin Dart station that has been made accessible for wheelchair users by the failure to provide lifts that work and are maintained and repaired immediately if out of order.

In other cities I have seen how segregated Pedestrian and cycle lanes work well. Our city needs to encompass more of this. We also have to ensure that we aren’t forgetting about how all roads users link up better with each other.

Our city needs to invest heavily in ensuring our paths and roads are safe and accessible for all people.

Clearer markings for cycle lanes, would be useful. I feel there are too many joint cycle and bus lanes which just lead to chaos for both bicycles and busses. Even just a different colour on the left side of the road to highlight the cycle lane would be a start.

We also need to invest and set up a specific fund to fix broken footpaths. There are too many damaged paths in the city which are trip hazards, especially to our older citizens and those with mobility / accessibility issues. 

Zebra crossings should be everywhere, alongside safer crossing points. More 30km/h zones and less congestion will mean greater safety, air quality and less noise pollution. Segregated bike lanes will increase cyclist safety and lower the number of accidents on the road. This should be done as part of a network, not one lane on a road – followed by another road without one. These cycle lanes should be segregated by a small kerb at the very least – not a white line.

In Donaghmede / Killbarrack we need more crossing points for pedestrians. Safer cycle lanes and footpaths. Some of the footpaths in this area are shocking and from talking with residents, the complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Even from my own perspective, when I’m out walking with my children and they have a fall because a path is dodgy.

I also witnessed after work one day – a man in his wheelchair having to use the road as there was no ramp for his wheelchair anywhere along his route.

We need a bigger investment in the use of electric bikes / scooters. Alongside this, there needs to be a safety campaign and education of the rules of the road for people using these vehicles.

More charging stations for personal bikes and bike hubs. We also need people to be able to feel safe and if that means asking for more lights, where the council think there is already enough – let’s just listen to those that are using those routes and spaces and do it!

If we want to reduce cars in our cities, we need to increase supply of all public transport to match.

Reduce private car numbers in the city centre, enhance ‘permeability’, making it easier to walk in the city. 

Protected, separate cycle lanes and footpaths should continue to be built around the city.

Public transport should be free, to encourage its use and discourage car use. This would reduce car traffic and make our city safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

People with disabilities are often forgotten when it comes to travelling around the city. Parked cars blocking footpaths need to be tackled by the council, and more parking spaces for disabled and elderly people should be made available. I would support more consultation between DCC and people with disabilities on how to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists in the city.

Active travel needs priority on Dublin’s streets. We need to stop thinking of transport policy as how to move cars around the city and start thinking in terms of how to move people around the city.

We need the green man to last longer in favour of pedestrians and we need waiting times at pedestrian crossings to be cut significantly. There is nothing more frustrating than than standing with a growing crowd of people waiting for a green man at a city centre crossing as car after single occupancy car crawls by.

Cyclists need safe segregated cycle lanes. Simple as that. We don’t expect pedestrians to mingle with cars - they have footpaths. People on bikes are equally as exposed and vulnerable - they need a safe, segregated space.

For me, creating safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists is essential for promoting active mobility and reducing reliance on cars. It goes hand in hand with the safer streets and stronger communities that is a top priority for Fine Gael. There’s a need for stricter controls of high-speed scooters and cycling on pavements.

In Donaghmede, I believe that allocating resources towards maintaining pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, like wider footpaths, well-lit pathways, and designated bike lanes, is crucial.

There is active travel route planned for Raheny to Donaghmeade. This is called the Baldoyle to Fairview Active Travel Scheme. As per Dublin City Council, there will be a final section connecting Raheny to the Coast on the final section being part of the Santry River Greenway.

Dublin City Council are also commencing work on the Belmayne Main Street and Belmayne Avenue Scheme. The proposed road scheme involves the new road construction at Belmayne Main Street from Malahide Road to New Priory and road improvement works at Belmayne Avenue and Parkside Boulevard.

The scheme will include a new bus gate junction at Malahide Road/Mayne River Avenue and will also include new bus lanes, traffic lanes, signalised junctions, parking, footpaths, landscaping works and provide safer pedestrian and cycling facilities for the community. The new road scheme will facilitate the development of adjacent lands and a new town centre.

In areas with high pedestrian and cyclist activity, such as residential neighbourhoods, I would advocate for more traffic calming measures, like more speed bumps & zebra crossings.

For me “nicer” should be secondary to more accessible. We need to be aware of wheelchair users and people with restricted mobility while making plans for cycle / footpaths. We need to get the correct balance to ensure safety and accessibility for everyone. In relation to safety we need to examine the legalities around the use of electric bikes and scooters to prevent more fatalities. We need to have dedicated public transport safety forums to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport.

All elected representatives need to be united and committed to calling out this behaviour and arson attacks in recent times. We must have zero tolerance on these issues.

The amount of misinformation out there is extremely dangerous and social media platforms need to be held to account on this.

I believe our government could do better to explain our Immigration policies better to the public. The lack of communication has allowed groups to fill a void and scaremongering among communities. An open and honest conversation is important to stamp out misinformation.

We can’t platform those that seek hate. End of. Hatred and lies cannot be debated against or tolerated. I believe that so many arsons and hate crime style events are happening because a vacuum has been created by the department, which allows hatred to fill the gap. Community engagement is the only way we will defeat hatred.

We can’t have a situation where only elected officials get word of something and community leaders are left in the dark. Elected representatives and community leaders need to be engaged with at the same time, so that a vacuum isn’t created, and hate can’t grow.

Support asylum seekers, other immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and other targeted minorities. We have seen the founding of many ‘For All’ groups who have done wonderful work in their communities. Greater cooperation and support for them is necessary. A flourishing community will prevent hatred towards others from spreading, especially when effective integration projects allow people to meet those who have been villainised by far-right actors.

Anger towards immigrants has grown from failures in housing, health, economic inequality and so forth. Across Europe, we have seen attempts to combat the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant hate – by legitimising their positions. Rather than adopting the same failed approaches we need to tackle the issues leading to the fears and subsequent hatred. Vulnerable minorities are not the cause of the problems we face today – and should never be on the receiving end of such hatred.

There is a huge disconnect between people in our communities from all backgrounds and situations. The lack of resources invested into our communities by the government, time and time again has driven the political far right narrative, which has caused this.

I will continuously point out that everyone living in our communities are experiencing the same difficulties. Some worse than others, such as refugees and asylum seekers, whose conditions can be horrific.

I get that people are angry, I’m also angry! But, this far right political agenda is focusing on the wrong people to aim their anger at. The government have caused this hate. By not providing housing, health care and increasing our cost of living. Not investing in community supports and not helping communities prepare for such a large influx of people in a timely manner and neglecting those who were already here.

The people seeking refuge here are coming from already traumatising situations and those who have lived here already are dealing with their own issues and trauma too.

We should have a united front on this issue and align their housing need with ours. Their healthcare needs with ours.

As a person, regardless of elections, I will work with everyone to ensure a more socially inclusive environment for all. This, I will do by organising within the community and fighting for our needs together. Running events to introduce Irish citizens, asylum seekers, homeless people and families, migrants, the LGBTQ+ community to everyone. Events such as multi-cultural events and Educational events.

We also need to remember that people coming into Ireland have taken up jobs that serve our community. Even in our struggling healthcare systems – we have a diverse muti cultural workplace who care for everyone!

The arson attacks and assaults, the Garda need to work more proactively around this.

We are all human and deserve to live our lives peacefully. We are all human and deserve better from our government. We need to work on it together and get what our community needs to support everyone.

Support the work of the City Council and other stakeholders in promoting diversity and integration. Public education. Pro-active approach by Gardaí against far right arsonists and those responsible for intimidation and violence. 

The rise in anti-immigrant, homophobic, transphobic and far-right hatred in Ireland is being driven by a small group of individuals and organisations, who are preying on ordinary people’s real anger at the government - but misdirecting that anger towards marginalised groups.

We need to seriously tackle the public services crises in this country - housing, healthcare, education, and energy provision are all at breaking point due to the privatisation, outsourcing and profiteering that has been championed by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens over the past 20 years. We need to boot these parties out of government and create a left-wing government that will deliver public amenities for all communities, especially those in working-class areas that have been left behind for so long.

Far-right political parties have been peddling racist and homophobic lies and conspiracy theories, particularly around refugees and queer people. These lies should be rejected and countered, and misinformation online should be challenged.

Community centres and community activities should be expanded and funded by DCC to encourage integration and reduce segregation in our communities.

Refugees and people fleeing war and persecution must be protected by the state - as is Ireland’s legal obligation under the Geneva Conventions. Direct Provision is an abhorrent, cruel system which must be abolished and replaced with proper housing and social integration supports.

As a rep with People Before Profit I have been actively engaging with local communities to counter far-right misinformation, build solidarity between people of all backgrounds, and fight for proper public housing and services. We can build an Ireland for all, by ending the profiteering of landlords, millionaires and FF/FG politicians.

As a primary school teacher I see children every day from a wide variety of different backgrounds playing and learning together, blissfully unaware of those differences. Dublin City Council can do much more at community level by facilitating events encouraging mixing and integration.

On a much deeper level, the housing crisis has been weaponised by the far-right to encourage division and conflict. The systemic problems in our housing system have nothing to do with immigrants and asylum seekers and everything to do with decades of failed policy and failure to plan for housing problems that could be seen coming for years in advance. When we finally take steps to effectively address the housing crisis we will deny the far right one of their favourite and most misused tools for whipping up hatred based on misdirection and lies.

I moved to Dublin from London in 2016 and have found Ireland to be the complete package in terms of education, quality of life and employment opportunities. I would want anyone coming here to feel as welcome as I do, and I would work to create that sense in our community in Donaghmede.

I join Ministers McEntee and O’Gorman in condemning all acts of intimidation and criminality committed by the small minority who want to sow division in our society.

Arson is a very serious crime which carries heavy prison sentences. No one has the right to cause damage to property, to cause fear, or to threaten public order.

There can never be justification for such acts, regardless of circumstances or alleged motivation. We must stand up against these protesters to show that Ireland is a welcoming country. We have a responsibility as a nation to help those fleeing war and persecution.

Effective communication and consultation within our local community groups would be a strong starting point. The Government's lack of communication, lack of planning and failure to engage with local communities has built mistrust and genuine anxiety within communities across Dublin.

A small number of people with extreme views whether it be about anti-immigrant or anti-asylum have taken advantage of the lack of trust and communication from the current government. They use this weakness as an opportunity to build groups and pit communities against each other.

It's not the minority groups in our society that are to blame, it’s not the LGBTQ+ community that failed to build a community centre or a library in your area, it's not the asylum seeker who has created this homeless crisis, it's the government.