The problem currently is the mass of delays that we are facing. We are in the middle of a homelessness crisis, the largest we have ever faced. It has gone on far too long and only escalated to record levels through government and councils that are being led by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and now the Greens.

We would prioritise getting housing built in the city by reducing delays, using new building technology and incentivising the building of affordable homes. Our plan is to streamline the whole process by only delivering public housing on public land and utilise it to deliver homes that are actually affordable, including social housing. Sinn Fein councillors working with a Sinn Fein government can and plan to achieve all of this.

Eoin O Broin who is our spokesperson on Housing and Local Government has written books and is very vocal about how we plan to deliver affordable and social homes in the Alternative Budget 2024. Ultimately, the change we need is not in planning or delivery, it lies within the change we need in the government to undo the mess of decades of bad housing policy.

Building social and genuinely affordable housing is key to ending the housing crisis, but we run into two problems: land and property hoarding and the lack of a state-run construction company. 

Tackling land/property hoarding is fairly straightforward:

• Dublin City Council must start closely documenting vacant and derelict sites. 
• Dublin City Council must actually enforce the Vacant Site Levy. DCC was owed €6.8 million in Vacant Site Levies as of September 2023. If the law is not enforced, it is not a deterrent for rogue land and property hoarders.
• The Vacant Site Levy should increase the longer a property hoarder leaves a site idle. 
• After a period of time the site is still vacant, DCC should compulsory purchase the site. Rent it, use it or sell it to the Council.

 

On a state-run construction company:

• DCC and councillors need to be the government for funds to boost the Council’s capacity to build homes. 
• DCC and councillors need to support the establishment of a state-run construction company that would work with the LDA and councils across the country to build social and affordable housing. 
• DCC needs to stop the sale of public land to private developers, and instead use that land for social and affordable housing projects.

 

The council has proven that it is unable to facilitate enough housing development across the city - we need new, big ideas.

The commercial property vacancy rate in Dublin is almost 15%. The majority of these buildings are purpose-built, grade-A office blocks. At the same time, there are hundreds of commercial businesses that operate from converted Georgian houses around Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square, and throughout the city.

The council should incentivise these commercial businesses to move into the grade-A office blocks through tax breaks or commercial rate reductions. They should then reconvert the houses back into homes, both rebuilding communities in our city centre and increasing environmental efficiency.

The city needs big thinking and innovation to get out of this crisis - we are past tinkering around the edges.

Everyone should have the right to a secure and affordable home. A Sinn Féin-led council, working with a Sinn Féin-led government, would take a different approach to developer-led Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We would deliver genuinely affordable purchase, rental, and social homes.

Red tape is resulting in delays of up to 2 years before a brick is laid. We would streamline the planning, design, and delivery of affordable and social housing through Dublin City Council. We would build public housing on public land, reduce delays, use new building technology, and incentivise the building of affordable homes.

Our spokesperson on Housing and Local Government, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has set out how Sinn Féin would deliver more affordable and social homes in our Alternative Budget 2024. A change of government at every level is needed to unravel and reverse decades of bad housing policy.

The key measure would be to get most planning decisions on appeal made within the allotted time scale of 18 weeks. Notably, in the last six months, An Bord Pleanála has been processing far more decisions, so the backlog is reducing. A planning decision even if appealed should take no more than about six months in total.

In addition, I would like to see the ramping up of the acquisition of non-residential buildings and change their use to residential. A vacant office building in Ringsend has just been bought by Dublin City Council and will be turned into 15 apartments for social and or affordable sale and or rental. I understand more of these types of deals are in the pipeline.

When you have a site where you can actually build high rises, build those high rises. In terms of office development, it is important that every office in the city centre has a residential aspect. That's one way of doing it. Over the shops is a major, major, major issue. So, you know, that needs a massive incentive, a really massive incentive. And take, for instance, from Camden Street right down to the bottom of George’s Street as one example street, and work on that particular street in terms of the overheads.

Equally what I'd say is that any TD, any MEP, any councillor that has a constituency office, where the office overhead no one is living, needs to rethink their strategy. I also believe that the likes of Collins Barracks, that barracks and all the work that in there, which is the artwork, it's not that precious, but it's precious enough to be taken elsewhere, and those that are in dire need of accommodation who are on our streets should be accommodated in that.

[Dublin City Council Chief Executive] Richard Shakespeare has the power … to give an exemption to developments for the council to begin the process. If Mr Shakespeare would behave in the way [former Dublin City Council Chief Executive] Mr. [Owen] Keegan behaved when he was shoving through the cycleways, in terms of that infrastructure, and if we transpose that to housing, we wouldn't be in this situation. And that's what needs to be done. The executive at Dublin City Council need to be told that this is what you're doing, instead it’s loads of excuses. Also, I think that the NGOs and the approved housing bodies need to step up to the mark.

It is my strong belief that City and County Councils across Ireland, and especially Dublin City Council (DCC) need to be given back the ability to build significant amounts of housing again. If these powers are given back to Councils across Ireland, DCC should undertake substantial building projects, utilising both brown and green field sites to deliver social and affordable housing for people living in Dublin. Additionally, I would propose a plan for DCC to conduct a full audit of its current housing stock to identify all vacant properties in their possession - which is currently estimated to be in the thousands. To upgrade and repurpose these properties so that they can be readded into the DCC housing stock and made available to the people of Dublin as additional social and affordable housing options.

 Every person has the right to secure and affordable housing. Housing is the single most frequent issue raised with me. Many of my neighbours are concerned that their children will never be able to afford a home of their own, either to own or to rent, let along in the area they grew up.

The housing crisis has consequences for every area of life: access to childcare and school places, public health, urban sprawl, access to the jobs market, and our mental health.

The approach of the current Government, which views housing as a commodity, has led to thousands of people across the country being denied their human right to housing. We see this in agreements for public land to be privatised, with weak commitments to provide social and affordable housing.

A key example is the Glass Bottle Site in Ringsend. This land was sold by the state to a private developer on the agreement that 15% would be allocated for social and affordable housing on top of Part V commitments to provide 10%. Now the developer is trying to back out of the deal.

As councillor, I want to secure social and affordable housing on the Glass Bottle Site. It takes graft and persistence to support local communities and achieve these aims. And I will be voting and advocating for the provision of more social and affordable housing across Dublin City.

Dublin needs councillors and officials who understand the housing crisis. We need a change of Government, but also, we need to see increased action from Dublin City Council. This means stronger local government and accountability in how decisions are made.

I am proud to be running for a Party that will always do that and our record on housing is evidence of this commitment

Currently people are living in damp, mouldy and homes that are unmaintained sufficiently by the council. This is not just the houses internally, but lots of issues are to do with the maintenance within the area itself. For example, there are vermin who are wreaking havoc in a lot of the inner-city complexes due to the mishandling of waste management in the complexes by Dublin City Council.

One way we feel we could tackle public and social housing would be to prioritise the homes in the greatest need of repair. This will significantly reduce waiting lists for basic maintenance. Prioritising the regeneration and rejuvenation of flat complexes is something that I am passionate about, as is the party. I live in the flats; I was reared in the flats, and they are in unliveable states some of them. Residents should not have to fight to have basic needs met, but this is an everyday occurrence and the council kick the can down the road which leads to a worsening state of that person's home.

This all requires funding which needs to come from government for councils to maintain, refurbish and retrofit the Council properties. Sinn Fein in terms of private renters, wants greater security for all private renters and to also ensure that the properties are meeting minimum standards. Part of the reason for a large deficit in the private market is due to the majority being not fit for purpose. Sinn Fein also wants to increase the proportion and supply of the social rental, affordable cost rental and affordable ownership homes to replace those which are unfit.

There are chronic issues with lack of maintenance of council housing. Damp, black mould, blocked shore causing flooding, all because repairs and maintenance are not being properly addressed. There are simply not enough maintenance workers, and too much out-sourcing to private contractors.

We need to hire DCC maintenance workers on permanent contracts, and we need to provide new trade apprenticeships. Maintenance and repairs should be a well-paid, rewarding job that attracts new workers. With more council workers, maintenance and repairs would be completed in a much more timely manner, as well as shortening the turnaround for vacant council housing, allowing that housing to come back into use. 

These workers could also carry out retrofitting council housing, bringing energy bills down for council tenants and cutting our carbon emissions. 

For private rental tenants, we need new legislation around housing. We need to bring in a ban on “no-fault” evictions, rent controls and we need to give the RTB teeth to deal with bad landlords. 

In council, I would push to restrict short-term letting such as AirBnB and expand DCC’s capacity for inspecting private rentals for breaches in minimum standards for tenancies. 

In short, the council needs to enforce its existing standards and increase the number of inspectors and inspections.

The introduction of virtual property inspections has been a significant advancement. There's also potential for further improvements, such as implementing an easy-to-use hub where tenants can report, log, and track breaches.

There's huge opportunity for increased efficiency, which would improve the quality and increase the number of inspections conducted.

People should not have to live in damp, mouldy or unmaintained homes. The challenges of affordability and quality cannot be seen in isolation.

In relation to public or social housing, we would prioritise those homes in greatest need of repair and reduce waiting lists for basic maintenance. We would prioritise the regeneration or rejuvenation of historic flat complexes to bring them up to acceptable standards. We would significantly increase Government funding for Councils to maintain, refurbish and retrofit Council properties. We would work towards every local authority producing a preventative maintenance plan.

For private renters, Sinn Féin would ensure that all properties meet minimum standards. There is a major deficit in the supply of affordable and adequate rental homes. Sinn Féin would increase the proportion and supply of the social rental, affordable cost rental and affordable ownership homes to replace unfit properties.

Dublin City Council needs to be far more proactive on repairs to existing housing stock and regulatory bodies ought to be more pro-active on the privately rented stock.

In many cases, these places are so dilapidated, that in many cases I believe that the blocks of flats – notwithstanding the facades – need to be removed and need to be rebuilt entirely. Herbert Simms [Dublin Corporation architect from 1932 to 1948] if he was alive today, and he saw the status of the buildings, would be the first person to pull them all down, because they're no different than many of the buildings that he came across in the [19]30s.

It's okay for the Green Party and [Environment Minister] Eamon Ryan to talk about retrofitting and all this kind of carry on, but in the meantime, children are actually being poisoned in these particular blocks. All of this rests on the shoulders of the council and rests on the shoulders of the councillors who are responsible for this and they're not being held to account.

Everybody who is suffering in relation to this matter should be given the opportunity to form their own recognised regeneration boards – not one that's actually been shoved down their throat, that's loaded up against them – and trained then to do that. Also the people that live within these estates should be basically given the opportunity to be the caretakers and be the managers of their own estates, they should be trained into that particular situation, so that they can run the estate really well, because Dublin City Council are appalling when it comes to estate management, appalling when it comes to dealing with anti-social behaviour.

It is vitally important that DCC increases its provision of vitally needed property upgrading, retrofitting, and maintenance to ensure that its current housing stock meets today's building regulations and standards. Over the past number of months, I have been contacted by many DCC residents across Dublin’s South-East Inner City who have long-term and ongoing maintenance issues and requests logged with DCC. From broken radiators to leaking roofs. Despite their multiple attempts to engage with DCC, several of these residents asked for my assistance with getting these issues addressed by DCC. Although we have eventually gotten recognition and a commitment to fix some of these issues from DCC, many of which I am happy to say have been addressed satisfactorily. I do not think that it should take a political representative to secure engagement between DCC and its tenants. I think that DCC should have much more approachable services and develop a set of proactive strategies to deal with maintenance issues which their tenants are experiencing and reporting. Regarding the private rented sector, I think that both the Government and DCC need to support the growing number of people living in private rented accommodation across Dublin. Renters in Dublin (and across Ireland) deserve legislatively protected and long-term security of tenure with a fixed and affordable rental price attached. Although this action is needed at the Dáil level, DCC can also do more to help private renters. Some suggestions of support I will call for DCC to introduce if elected are increased DCC inspections of rental properties to ensure that landlords are maintaining the property and any associated gardens or communal spaces in line with the current legislation. These inspections are not to inspect the tenants, but to ensure that landlords are maintaining and providing the necessary services and amenities for their tenants. I firmly believe that Dublin City Councillors need to work more collaboratively with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to ensure that any/all tenants who make a complaint against their landlord (whether that is a private individual/organisation or DCC) are fully supported throughout their complaints process and that their tenancy is fully secured and maintained. This could be achieved through the development of a working group or sub-committee of Dublin City Councillors who engage fully with the RTB and residents, to advocate for residents and ensure their rights are maintained. If elected I would also advocate for DCC to ensure that people living in privately rented accommodation have access to adequate DCC facilities, such as bottle banks, bring centres, adequate bike parking/locking options, public bins, etc. Additionally, I think that DCC should provide all residents across the city (in all accommodation types) with a full contact list of DCC services which they are entitled to request, from street cleaning and maintenance teams to pest control.

Whether young or old, living alone, with family or in a house share with friends, we all want to know that the place we call home is safe and warm, and that we live in a healthy secure environment. For too many this is not a reality.

Mould and damp and other maintenance issues are widespread across Dublin. Dublin City Council and the Residential Tenancies Board have been too weak in enforcing basic standards. They have been too eager to blame individual tenants for mould, rather than addressing the causes of damp or holding landlords to account.

Frustratingly there are considerable delays in promised works, which unfairly affects council tenants dealing with issues like subsidence and mould. While I recognise that many housing complexes in Dublin are up for redevelopment, these processes take years and tenants deserve to live without mould and damp in the meantime. The council and approved housing bodies need to hurry up and carry out necessary renovation and refurbishments, and minimise disruption to tenants.

I will work with DCC to ensure that interim repairs are undertaken so that tenants are not subject to damp, dangerous conditions.In terms of social housing.

Furthermore, it is crucial that we enforce standards for privately rented homes. Many tenants are reluctant to complain to the RTB due to the fear of eviction. Despite over 5,000 inspections by Dublin City Council in 2023, enforcement remains weak, with only two prohibition notices issued.

Fundamentally, at a national level we need to see improved security of tenure for tenants which would empower tenants to complain to landlords about poor living conditions. We can already begin to set the standard in Dublin abd I will campaign for this.

There are many things that the City Council could do to ensure we have a cleaner environment and city overall. The bin services for one should brought back into public ownership. We should also develop public waste services and ensure that there are communal bins and recycling centres. Unfortunately, the privatisation of the bins did not help. It has increased the costs on households and our city too. The lack of investment in sufficient waste management has now led to an increase in illegal dumping.

The Council is not funded adequately enough to ensure the city is cleaned and maintained as it should be. If there were a tax introduced such as a hotel bed night tax to raise funding to maintain the city that would effectively raise money needed to invest in keeping our city cleaner.

Dog fouling in the city has been an issue for some time now. Ultimately it does fall on an individual and unfortunately not every owner cleans up after their dog. Perhaps there needs to be more education about why it is important to clean up after your dog or improved reporting of offenders to the City Council. Community Wardens could be beneficial.

DCC has been systematically removing public bins from the city. In 2021 it was reported that they have removed 2000 public bins, and anecdotally I know that number has only increased. 

I fundamentally believe that if you give people a resource, they will use it. I would push to reinstall the bins that have been removed and install more, as well as increase the number of dog poo bins, recycling bins, focusing particularly on areas with a lot of litter/very few bins. 

I would revive the People Before Profit motion to take back control of our waste collection out of the hands of private companies like Greyhound or Panda that are extorting their customers and have created monopolies in the areas they service. I would push for more free recycling centres and to hire more council street sweepers.

Three key decisions taken by the council over the past decade have contributed to the decline in our city's appearance:

• The decrease in city bins from 5,000 in 2011 to just over 3,000 today.
• The privatisation of household waste collection.
• Commercial waste collection across the city.

To improve our city streets, the council needs to:

• Increase the number of bins and introduce communal bins throughout the city.
• Revert household waste collection services to council control.
• Expand the deployment of “BagBins” across the city. These structures securely hold commercial waste bags, preventing rubbish from being blown down the street while also eliminating an eyesore.

For the specific issue of dog fouling, there needs to be stronger enforcement, better resources, and new ideas. During a recent canvass, a voter suggested the idea of an app where community members could report instances of dog fouling in real time at a specific location. Over time, this would help identify hotspots where the council could install CCTV or increase inspections. Dog owners also must take more responsibility. Together, we can create a culture where not cleaning up after our pets is unacceptable.

The City Council could do much more to ensure we have a clean environment. I support bringing bin services back into public ownership, as well as developing public waste services such as communal bins and recycling centres. Privatisation did not improve costs for households, and it increased the costs to society. As a result of privatisation, the City Council has not invested in adequate waste management to avoid it being used for household waste. This has been counter-productive and has resulted in dumping.

The City Council is not sufficiently resourced to maintain the city properly. Rather than seeking an increase in commercial rates, I would support the introduction of a hotel bed night tax to raise funding to better maintain the city centre. A 1% charge could raise in excess of €12 million. We need more cleaners on the ground, as well as more public bins, to tidy up the city.

Dog fouling has been a persistent issue across the city, and ultimately it is a matter of individual responsibility. It can be difficult to catch and fine offenders. I would support local measures that are aimed at increasing accountability and improving reporting of offenders to the City Council. Council-employed Community Wardens, with a remit including anti-social behaviour, are one option which I am open to exploring.

A much greater level of fining people for littering. There is virtually no enforcement of dog poo laws. If people feel there is a risk of being caught, they will improve behaviour.

You have to actually have eyes and ears in these particular streets and you have to kind of literally have covert operations where you actually really impact on these people and name and shame them. The point of the matter is that Dublin City Council, as [council chief executive] Richard Shakespeare says, they don't have those resources. Those resources have been stripped out. But also, I would say equally, they don't have an example where they've actually managed to do this, it’s simply all excuses. The bottom line is that people in this city behave in an appalling manner towards each other. We saw that during the [November 2023] riots, and we can see that in anti-social behavior of drunkenness on our streets, and dog poo and the disregard and the disrespect. The response to that is Lord Mayor [Daithí] de Róiste[‘s campaign], a kinder city, which is a bit of a joke. It's not about a kind of city. It's about the fact that we don't respect each other anymore. And that disrespect is something that's been basically engaged with and promoted by the authorities, because they never stood up to the mark and stamped this out.

I feel that better communication between residents and businesses across the communities of Dublin can foster better community relationships. This will help to ensure that everyone across Dublin City has a real sense of pride and ownership about the area we all live in, work in, and share. I think that developing a better community spirit will help to reduce the disrespect people show our urban communities by littering and dog fouling. However, there are also several practical solutions which are needed to address these issues. Such as the provision of more bins, public toilets, and dedicated dog poo bins (which provide “poo bags” free of charge) from DCC. Additionally, I will be strongly calling on DCC to employ more dedicated Dog and Litter Wardens for Dublin City to assist in ensuring our city is kept clean.

I want us all to be able to be proud of the city we live in. This means that we take care of our streets, and keep them clean and well presented.

Unfortunately, we have a massive issue with rubbish on the streets in inner city Dublin. While council staff work diligently to clean up, the problem persists and appears to be worsening, despite the efforts of tidy towns organizations and clean-up groups.

Exploring alternative methods of commercial waste collection, such as shared large containers for businesses, could alleviate the reliance on plastic bags, which are vulnerable to wildlife interference. Involving business owners in finding workable solutions is essential, as they also stand to benefit from cleaner surroundings.

You can’t talk about litter without talking about privatised waste collection, which increases illegal dumping. Waste management in Dublin is chaotic and would be much better served by a single public service. Therefore, I will be campaigning to see DCC take control of the bin service again, and to overcome whatever barriers and legal challenges we face from private operators.

On dog poo and littering, there is something of a vicious cycle. Because Dublin is already so dirty and waste is so poorly managed by the city, people are more likely to drop litter or let their dogs’ poo. We all have a responsibility to manage waste properly and to create a city that people do not want to make dirty. But we also need greater enforcement of regulations on dog fouling and littering by DCC. Addressing littering and dog poo requires improved enforcement and the appointment of additional roles like park wardens and the use of CCTV footage to identify repeat offenders and prosecute accordingly for offenses like fly tipping and dumping.

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 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 against the need to develop local sport and parks capacity which can support increasing housing density in the inner city.

Vacant and derelict property is a monument to decades of failure of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael housing policies. As the candidate for People Before Profit, I am currently leading a campaign on highlighting “voided” Council housing in the South Inner City, demanding DCC take action on their empty properties. 

As stated above, DCC must more closely document vacant and derelict properties. Their current register is not reflective of reality in the city. 

We need a punitive tax to apply to vacant privately-owned houses and sites, with the rate escalating with duration of vacancy, to encourage the owners to bring the property back into use or to sell. After a specified period, or where an owner can not be found, DCC should use its power to compulsory purchase and use these acquisitions for housing.

I would push for DCC to hire more maintenance workers to speed up the turnover of vacant council housing, bringing it back into use faster on a strict timeline. 

Tax, enforcement, and technology.

The council needs to increase the tax rate for owners of derelict properties. At the same time, it should encourage redevelopment through tax incentives and increased grants. The council must use its compulsory purchase order mandate on properties that remain derelict for over a year, and quickly redevelop them. Lastly, we can use technology to enable our communities to easily report vacant and derelict homes citywide.

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.

In the case of vacancies, there is a need to identify the main causes of vacancies. There is likely a need for incentives to achieve occupancy. A more aggressive approach by City Council enforcement where dereliction occurs.

Basically you have a statutory instrument called CPOs, compulsory purchase orders, and any of these buildings that are lying idle in the city centre, that we could utilise, we basically need to do that. But the problem with that is that the city council have no great example of being able to do CPOs, because they don't want that responsibility. Those CPOs should also apply to the likes of the HSE and the Baggot Street hospital. No state property should be put up for private sale, unless there's a really valid reason – these should be handed over for housing and community amenities.

The national government and all local councils need to urgently address the issues of long-term vacancy and dereliction across Ireland’s towns and cities. I propose that DCC should bring all the derelict and long-term vacant properties and sites across Dublin. Into public/DCC ownership (via compulsory purchase orders) to be turned into community facilities and spaces as well as social and affordable housing units. Additionally, new taxes should be introduced to penalise the owners of long-term vacant and derelict properties and/or sites, which would increase incrementally each year until these properties and sites are put into active use.

I want a city that looks and feels welcoming, safe and clean, and where people have access to good homes. Yet there are thousands of vacant and derelict homes across the city. Considering the scale of the housing crisis this is absolutely unacceptable.

Vacant and derelict properties not only deprive communities of much-needed housing, but also contribute to antisocial behaviour and makes our streets less safe. Once a building becomes derelict it is far costlier and more challenging to bring it back to use. Therefore, we need to be proactive about tackling dereliction. Over the last year, Labour have led the campaign to highlight the scourge of vacancy in our communities.

Despite no longer facing staffing shortages in vacancy officers, Dublin City Council's efforts are clearly inadequate. National measures such as increasing vacant homes taxes and bolstering local authority resources are necessary, but there's also room for action at the council level.

Dublin City Council possesses compulsory purchase powers, which should be used to combat vacancy and expand public housing and green spaces. Currently, fewer than 200 units are on DCC’s vacant and derelict sites registers, a figure divorced from reality.

There must be a concerted effort by councillors to oppose the Department of Housing's funding cuts for converting vacant and derelict sites. Despite rising construction costs, the department has slashed funding for these projects, reducing support from 65% to just 20%. This reduction jeopardizes efforts to refurbish sites amid a worsening housing crisis.

City councillors must provide local leadership by pushing for action. The Labour Party has been using local knowledge to identify and register empty sites, empowering Dubliners to effect change. I was delighted to see that the vacant office at Fitzwilliam Quay has been acquired by DCC for the provision of social and affordable housing. These are the sorts of measures that we need to see to tackle vacancy and I will be working with DCC to ensure more projects on vacant sites are commenced.

There has been a decline in our Gardaí since 2009. We are one of the only cities in Europe where you don’t see a member of the police on most street corners. The lack of police and lack of funding for the Gardaí has allowed for anti-social and illegal behaviour to become normal. Organised crime has thrived while the Gardaí have diminished year by year. More Gardaí is not the answer to solve this either. We also need to invest more in social care and other services that can be early intervention.

In order to promote community development, we would also make investments in primary social work and care services. In order to prevent, avoid, and divert, disparities in housing, sports and recreation, education, and work must be addressed. We need to fund and invest more money into the social workers in local communities that are more affected by organised crime. It was the community projects in my area such as the Talk About Youth Project in Saint Andrews that make the biggest impact. We had Young Womens Clubs, there was singing, dancing and acting in Eddies Club, they also take part in exchanges with other youth groups. These clubs all make a difference, I know they did for me.

• Increase investment in youth services to pre-austerity levels.
• Increase investment in youth outreach programmes to engage young people not currently using youth services.
• Increase investment into clubs and sports. Subsidise gym membership for young people, attach more training opportunities to existing sport and leisure facilities to allow young people to earn money in the growing fitness industry and elsewhere.
• Introduce adult drop-in social centres that offer a range of activities and facilities including showers. Integrate with homeless services, addiction support workers and other services. 
• Support the establishment of more supervised drug consumption facilities practising harm reduction and integrating addiction support services. 
• Increase street lighting.

 

Our city needs an increase in the number of actual and visible Garda in our communities and city centre. Individuals engaging in anti-social behaviour should be held accountable and face suitable consequences.

We must also acknowledge that anti-social behaviour largely results from underinvestment in our communities. We need to improve housing, public spaces, and infrastructure. At the community level, funding for youth clubs, community centres, and after-school programs should be increased.

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 Gardaí 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.

More Gardaí on the principal streets would make the city feel safer. I note the recent placing of ten new Gardaí to Kevin Street, five to Pearse Street and one to Donnybrook, all recent graduates from Templemore. Perhaps the Garda Reserve could supplement the presence also.

The city needs to be safer by basically, first of all, by the citizens looking out for each other, and the presence of security on our streets, and that can be in the guise of An Garda Síochána, or that can be in the guise of organised privatised security, that would actually go up and down the street and be able to monitor the situation. We do know that Dublin is awash with cameras in terms of security cameras, there's more cameras in Dublin, than there is in Hollywood.

The point of the matter is that there is a level of drunkenness and a level of aggression that’s coming out of the alcohol and the drugs industry. They’re telling us that they want to extend opening hours, but we don’t have the facilities to be able to deal with the possible fallout of people falling around the place being drunk. We don’t have those resources. The tourism industry and indeed the airline industry just want to flood Dublin with tourists who’ll come over here on the binge. The safety aspect for women is pretty appalling. The safety aspect for children is non-existent. You do not see children on the streets in the evening.

Dublin needs more community policing all year round across the city. We need more Garda on the streets through regularly scheduled patrols, who also engage proactively and cooperatively with local communities and resident groups to police the areas they serve in a collaborative and constructive manner. I feel these steps will help to make Dublin safer and reduce anti-social behaviour.

To feel safe where you live is a most fundamental right. I receive numerous queries about crime in my area, ranging from bicycle thefts to violence and intimidation in public spaces. Without doubt the most significant issue is certainly policing. While nobody wants to see Dublin be overpoliced, the presence of community Gardaí can significantly improve safety.

The Joint Policing Committee (JPC), run by Dublin City Council, provides a crucial platform for public representatives to discuss issues of concern with Garda representatives.

Unfortunately, there have been moves by the Department of Justice to replace JPC meetings with a broader 'community safety partnership' system involving just seven councillors. This change cannot proceed, as it would diminish Garda accountability to democratically elected councillors who represent their constituents' interests.

Many factors contribute to safety in the city. Passive surveillance by residents and shops plays a vital role in keeping areas safe. For this reason, it is really important that we prevent dereliction and make our streets welcoming to people from all walks of life. With more shops and housing, there will be more people moving around the inner city at all times of day & night, which keeps the city safer for all.

As councillor, I will engage actively in this forum to ensure coordination in the prevention of crime. A well-managed city is a safer city.

Labour councillors on Dublin City Council submitted a motion focusing on violence against women. The motion incorporated safety needs into public realm enhancements, budgetary decisions, and educational programs. Additionally, it calls for promoting access to support services for victims of gender-based violence and providing sensitivity training to council staff. As councillor, I will continue this vital work for women’s safety in Dublin.

While public safety remains a concern, it's crucial to acknowledge that some of the worst violence occurs within homes. Dublin City Council plays a vital role in providing refuge spaces for those fleeing domestic violence. These measures are essential for protecting people, and I will continue to advocate for their implementation, especially now that Labour’s motion has been passed.

We need to get more creative regarding our public transport and urban planning for sure. Our neighbouring countries are decades ahead of us in terms of public transport. This is intrinsically linked with the ability to live near where you work, or work near where you live which then highlights the failures around affordable housing and rent caps.

Prominent infrastructural initiatives, such the Luas to Poolbeg and the Dodder public transit bridge, are moving inadequately. Infrastructure needs to be delivered more quickly in order to facilitate convenient public travel. In order to ensure that there are easy connections when new residents move in, public transport should also be provided before significant new residential developments.

We also need more funding for existing public transport such as Dublin Bus, the DART and Irish Rail. There is more that can be done to improve routes, expand them and link up existing services. It really does come down to a lack of imagination.

Dublin City needs free and frequent public transport, like what we see in Luxembourg. DCC can lobby the government for increased investment into public transport. 

The solution lies in execution and delivery. Existing plans, such as the metro link and bus connections (which may not be innovative or ambitious enough), need implementation. There is too much red tape and it is significantly delaying progress. In the short term, simple solutions like enabling card or phone taps on the bus would boost accessibility and usage.

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, such as the Dodder public transport bridge and the Luas to Poolbeg, are 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.

The provision of more buses. The upgrade of all railway lines. The online RTPI information always being reliable. The €2 90-minute fare being retained.

First of all you need to get people who are willing to actually work in public transport, because it’s very very difficult getting drivers because of the anti-social behaviour and the direct threats.  

You've got people who are waiting for buses that are not coming. So basically the system is non-existent. The system is phantom. 

As a major European City Dublin both needs and deserves considerably better public transport than we currently have. The public transport options which Dublin needs to develop and progress are a Dublin Metro (which has been long promised by the Government), the expansion of the LUAS to West Dublin and for the current LUAS services to finally be connected to provide a unified and affordable rail system for all the Dublin city area. I also think that people in Dublin should be able to travel across the city via Dublin Bus without having to travel from their area into town and back out to their destination. For this reason and many more, I think that the routes and services of Dublin Bus need to be redesigned and move away from the current radial system which is currently in place. This would offer a truly connected and convenient Bus service for everyone living in Dublin city.

We need to keep our city moving, and proper public transport and cycling infrastructure are vital to this. As a councillor, I would ensure that initiatives to enhance public transport infrastructure are at the centre of Dublin City's Development Plan.

But the process of planning new public transport infrastructure can often be drawn-out, with local opposition to key infrastructure causing major delays. Dublin City Council must balance the need to listen to communities with the need to keep the city moving for the good of everyone living here. By adding resources that benefit everyone, including new transport options, we can alleviate some of the concerns about new developments.

I am supportive of plans to improve bus access to the city centre and increase pedestrianisation, allowing Dubliners to move more easily through the city by bus, foot and wheel. Furthermore, I am supportive of the Metrolink project and for the extension of the red line Luas to Poolbeg. All of these initiatives will make Dublin a more accessible city for both residents and workers. As councillor, I would ensure that DCC takes actions to support these large infrastructure projects, which are important for improving public transport in the city.

We also need to make it more comfortable for everyone to use public transport. A lack of covered bus shelters with seating is preventing many older and disabled passengers from using bus, DART and Luas services. Operators have a responsibility to local communities to ensure proper maintenance of transport shelters and accessibility for disabled individuals. The council should also play a role in 'disability-proofing' new bus stops and cycle lanes as part of planning requirements to ensure safety for all users.

Overall, improving public transport in Dublin requires honesty and engagement from public representatives. Engaging with communities early in the process and being transparent about proposed projects are key to project completion. As a councillor, I will prioritize keeping residents informed and addressing their concerns about transport seriously.

I feel that better planning of the city is required. The use of protected and joined up pedestrian and cycling infrastructure must be better thought out. If we are more aware of areas with low vehicle ownership rates, then we can support these communities in moving around their local areas, whether it is by cycling or by walking.

Dublin is a rich city, with beautiful buildings and an abundance of history around every corner, but our cities have been planned around cars. There is change needed but we still need to be cognisance of the people who rely on cars. Those who are not able bodied, are carers or parents need to be supported to access and travel around the city. In the same vein, those who are dependent on cars need to be given the option of an upgraded public transport system. It is no secret that we have one of the worst public transport systems in the world – we are seriously lagging, and it needs to be a priority.

We should continue to pedestrianise parts of Dublin, but we also need to take people out of their cars rather than just redirecting them. Better, cheaper, reliable public transport would help hugely to take cars off the roads. DCC should lobby the government for this investment from the state. 

I would support the expansion of protected bike lanes and cycle safety campaigns in schools. 

Dublin has been designed and developed over the past few decades primarily for cars. A fundamental shift in our perspective on mobility is needed, transitioning from cars towards public transport and active travel. Infrastructure beyond roads has been underfunded for decades. This is evident in our lack of public spaces, deteriorated sidewalks, and potholed bike lanes. The city deserves a vision and development plan that places people and communities at its core.

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.

Item 5 deals with the "nicer" reduction of street clutter would help. Enforcement of traffic laws for bikes and cars (ex. breaking red lights, parking on pavements, high speeds) would improve safety.

I think what you need to have a situation where you have a respect and that respect is going to come from pedestrians and it's going to come from cyclists and it's going to come from motorists. Now a lot of the cyclists think they can do what they like, can go up on footpaths and God knows what. A lot of the motorists are irate because they’ve been pushed and shoved and moved this way and that way, they’re not quite sure where to go. We also need a limit of speed on bicycles as well as on cars. We need to have a situation where we have a proper policing unit. And I know the guards that are on the traffic unit. They're very stressed out, very, very stressed out, by what they have to come across. So we need to actually ask everybody to be responsible.

Dublin needs better maintained and safer footpaths. Currently, a significant amount of our footpaths are not properly maintained which results in serious issues for everyone who walks them daily. DCC needs to dramatically increase the ongoing maintenance and upgrading works of all footpaths across Dublin, especially across the South-East Inner city and the Canal Walkways. I also think that increased public outdoor (traffic-free) spaces are needed across Dublin city to better develop public spaces for residents to walk and relax in throughout the city centre. This could be achieved through DCC redesigning more of the city’s plazas, squares, and private parks for public use. DCC should also provide seating options and arrange the planting of trees, flower beds, planters, and green areas to decorate these public spaces. I also think that cyclists in Dublin deserve a much better, and most importantly safer cycling infrastructure for them to use. The additional cycle Green Ways which have been developed and opened across Dublin have provided some beneficial additional cycling routes for the city. But what is needed most is more designated (and properly segregated) cycle lanes across the city centre to ensure the safety and comfort of all who cycle through and into Dublin city centre. I also think that DCC and An Garda Síochána need to do a far better job at monitoring and policing motorists who disregard cycling infrastructure and choose to block (and park in) cycle lanes. The addition of more public bike parking/locking facilities from DCC across the city centre is also something that I will be strongly advocating for if elected to Dublin City Council this June.

As a supporter of cycling and pedestrian safety, I advocate for the creation of more protected cycle paths, especially near schools, and the maintenance of existing lanes to prevent accidents. Proper upkeep of paths is crucial for pedestrians too, as potholes and obstacles pose risks, particularly for vulnerable groups like the visually impaired, wheelchair users, and parents with strollers. We also need to enhance pedestrian amenities by providing more public seating areas in Dublin, ensuring equitable access for all residents.

Expanding initiatives like the Dublin Bikes scheme, pioneered by former Lord Mayor Andrew Montague of the Labour Party, is essential, and should include underserved areas like Ringsend and Irishtown.

We need to be honest that unsafe driver behaviour has become a problem and we need to enforce traffic laws reduce road fatalities, alongside investing in new infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly projects. I would make it my priority to bring traffic calming measures to Council, to ensure our streets are safe for all users.

It is of paramount importance to me to act in favour of a fair, equal and diverse society for the better of our community. The arson attacks and pre-meditated damaged to emergency accommodation centres are unacceptable. It is also unacceptable that there is still no permanent solution to the homelessness crisis, which this is all a cause of. We have more places for homeless or emergency accommodation than we do permanent homes. This is due to consistent political failures by past governments. Time and time again we are let down, we are told that it will change and since 2010, nothing has. It’s time for real actionable change, and people should vote in favour of those who they believe have the power to make these changes.

In my opinion, transparency and education are the way forward. Transparency with communities and what is going on and giving them adequate time and notice to be heard. Education around the anti-LGBT+ would benefit everyone. As a gay woman, I feel that we could all be more aware of how to treat each other in general and not just exclusively because you are gay.

There is a mass of miseducation and fear mongering around the LGBTQ+ Community, Immigrants and Asylum seekers. There is a plethora of videos on the internet that are not fact checked, are hate fuelled and then become part of your algorithm. To me it comes down to people being neglected, and it has been going on in my community for generations, they are hurt, tired and angry. My flats sit adjacent to one of the biggest accounting firms across the globe. Beside us then are apartments that are upwards of 2.5k a month to rent. We have been left behind while around us has been amplified.

The issue with immigration, international protection and direct provision have never been fit for purpose. Processing times are far too long, and it is unclear how regularly the decisions are enforced. There are people who live and work here even report the long waits around processing times. Unfortunately, none of this has been fixed because there are people making millions from this dysfunction. The government are more concerned with the money going into the pot than providing a fair and transparent system. We are all angry, we all need this to be a priority to be fixed once and for all.

I am a proud and ardent anti-racist. I have played an active role in the Ireland for All campaign and Stronger Together campaign, and am involved in volunteering with homeless asylum seekers. I led an information campaign in Ringsend after the arson attack on January 1st this year, and have done my best to counter racist and dangerous lies from far-right agitators with bad intentions. 

The rise of hate movements is partly a result of failures by the state and local councils, particularly in addressing housing issues, providing essential services, and addressing growing inequality. These issues are real and cannot be brushed aside or overlooked. In anti-racist and anti-fascist efforts, it's crucial to remember this. There can be no room for ambiguity or alliances with government parties that have created the conditions allowing this problem to thrive.

That aside, the council could also be doing more to promote inclusion, like funding more cultural events and initiatives. 

DCC should also provide stronger support for its staff members facing abuse by the far-right, be it in public libraries, civic offices or elsewhere.

Small groups that promote hate, division, and fear have always existed. However, the advent of social media and growing disillusionment among ordinary workers in our communities have allowed these groups to grow.

When people feel frustrated with the system and have been failed by the government, it becomes easy to blame others (usually minority groups) for their issues. To counteract this, we need to bolster investment and delivery in housing, health, education, and public services. In tandem we must reform our immigration system to shorten waiting times and enhance integration.

Lastly, it's crucial to hold social media companies accountable for disseminating misinformation and radicalising users on their platforms.

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 on emergency accommodation centres have no place in our society and I condemn these attacks.

People are entitled to vote as they desire, and it is legitimate to vote based on who you believe will best address your real and genuine concerns and beliefs. 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.

There needs to be a somewhat more assertive approach to protests where clear breaches of the law occur. This is very much a small minority of protests; the right to protest peacefully and in an orderly way is essential to a democratic society. Mainstream politicians need to be clear that immigrants and LGBTQ+ people present no particular threat to society and that assertions to the contrary are wrong.

As soon as you refer to these people as far right, you’re giving them some sort of political platform. They’re criminal thugs. End of story. I worked in all of this stuff in London in the ’70s, when we were part of the Anti-Nazi League and all of those kinds of situations, when we actually were dealing with racists, right-wingers and extremists. What you have here, if you go onto social media, you have a couple of fly-by-nights, a couple of individuals roaring their heads off … and it’s all fuelled by a lack of information from the government. Now if you include people into the process, because I'm all over the country, by and large Irish people are welcoming. But the anger is at the government and the lack of information, when a number of people arrive, and all of a sudden, amenities are short, and so on and so forth. And all of sudden there’s nobody in authority, there’s no one in leadership, and there’s nobody being responsible, and then all of a sudden then you get the media jumping around.

As an active member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have experience dealing with the far-right for several years now. From my experience, I feel that the best way to counter the hate and misinformation aimed at all minorities or vulnerable groups is through community engagement and education. We need to talk to residents and the public about the lies and misinformation that these far-right groups are spreading. Once these open and constructive conversations are happening across communities in Dublin the lies and hate of the far-right can finally start to be challenged and discreated by all. I also think that DCC and residents across Dublin need to fully engage with immigrants and asylum-seekers who are starting to call Dublin their home. It is only with full engagement and integration between all communities in our city that we as Dubliners can start to properly counter the lies and hate spread by the far-right. I would suggest that DCC help to arrange welcome committees and integration groups for immigrants and asylum-seekers who are living in Dublin. The Labour Party has already begun setting up such groups informally, but a more coordinated approach would be beneficial. This can be achieved through collaborating with resident groups, religious groups, sports clubs, etc. For the planning and strategising of these welcome groups, I suggest that DCC and Councillors seek the advice and input of the brilliant activists and welcome groups which are already in operation across Dublin and are welcoming, integrating, and supporting asylum-seekers and immigrants into their communities. 

In Ireland, most of us believe that no matter what we look like, where we’re from, or who we love, we all deserve to feel like we belong. Sadly, there are some who want to sow divisions to advance their own narrow interests.

It is very worrying to see the emergence of the far-right in Irish politics. I am especially concerned to see them exploiting issues such as lack of housing and services as a means to stir up hate against marginalised groups.

I am particularly horrified at the recent attacks on people seeking asylum, and the buildings earmarked to accommodate them. The horrific riots on 23rd November, will never be forgotten. The scale of the clean-up the following morning by Dublin City Council workers was so impressive, but it shouldn’t have been necessary.

Alongside my Labour Party colleagues, I am firmly committed to equality for everyone, regardless of their background. By coming together in this election, we can reject division, and learn from each other as our city changes and evolves. As councillor, I will work to ensure Dublin is a place of inclusion and safety for people of all backgrounds, and I will not tolerate far right co-option of important issues such as housing and crime. Diversity is something that should be celebrated, and it is one of our greatest strengths.