I am committed to resolving the housing crisis once and for all. But this can only be done by local and central government working together to provide funding for housing to meet the housing needs of people in Dublin. As a City Councillor I have worked tirelessly to champion the building of social, affordable to rent and affordable to buy homes. I am glad to say since I was elected city councillor social and affordable homes have been built in Drimnagh, Chapelizod, Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard. Of course we need more, much more but this had been a good start. There is more in the pipe line for Sarsfield Road, Bluebell and Emmet Road.

Every person deserves the right to a stable and affordable home. A radical change in government policy is necessary to reverse years of ineffective housing policies.

Sinn Féin councillors have a track record of working hard on the Dublin City Council to tackle the housing crisis. We want to increase the number of coucnillors so as we can increase our influence and deliver more homes in less time to meet the needs of those languishing on council housing lists and those trapped in the precarious private rented market.

People have a right to live in safe, clean and healthy homes. Unfortunately for many families this is simply not a reality.

Every week I receive numerous complaints from constituents about issues of mould, dampness, and inadequate ventilation in their homes. Most of these complaints were from families with young children and elderly individuals. Many families expressed frustration over the prolonged duration taken by the Dublin City Council to address these repair issues.

I have worked with council tenants in Drimnagh to organise themselves to demand Dublin City Council take immediate action to improve their living conditions. This has resulted in city council management coming out and visiting people homes to see for themselves the unacceptable conditions people have to live in. City council are currently doing a door to door survey of every home and have agreed to carry out an immediate maintenance programme.

This needs to be replicated right across Dublin. A huge obstacle is the consecutive governments have not given enough funding to Dublin City Council to carry out the necessary works in all the flat complexes. This needs to urgently change. It is unacceptable that in a country as rich as ours that city council tenants are forced to live in Dickensian conditions.

Sinn Féin has proposed significant increases in Government funding for Councils to maintain, refurbish and retrofit Council homes. This includes a specific fund for local authorities to respond proactively to maintenance issues including windows and doors, damp, mould, and leaks. Too often, a small leak becomes a huge problem because it is left for too long. We would work towards every local authority producing a preventative maintenance plan. We would also introduce a regeneration scheme for apartments and flats that are past their lifespan.

Dublin is a great city to live in. But there's significant room for improvement in maintaining cleanliness, particularly on our streets. Two major challenges is illegal dumping and dog poo.   Since the bin service was privatised in 2012 illegal dumping deteriorated. Yet in similar sized cities across Europe do not suffer from the same level of illegal dumping. A positive move would be to bring the domestic waste collection service back into public ownership. I currently chair the cross party committee in Dublin City Council that is committed to ensuring this will happen. We have met with colleagues in Leinster House and I am happy to confirm a similar working group has been set up in Leinster House with the focus of introducing legislation that will allow Dublin City Council take the bin service back into council ownership. This I believe will be a practical step in tackling illegal dumping and will allow city council to develop a comprehensive waste management strategy that means the needs of a modern European capital.

Furthermore, I advocate for initiatives to raise public awareness, utilizing platforms such as community events and social media, to educate people about responsible waste disposal and pet ownership. Additionally, it's crucial to increase waste bin coverage by installing additional bins in busy areas and ensuring regular maintenance to prevent overflow.

One further scheme that proved effective was the deployment of undercover staff in parks who were able to catch dog owners ‘red handed’ when they failed to clean up after their dogs.

There is an alarming abundance of vacant and derelict properties in our capital city, including the areas of Ballyfermot and Drimnagh. Many of these homes have remained unoccupied for years, with some deteriorating into dereliction, which adds to the issues confronting our communities, as it increases the likelihood of illegal dumping and contributes to the proliferation of rats.

Sinn Féin would encourage local authorities to Compulsory Purchase, where practical, and return to use derelict properties alongside increased utilisation of the Buy and Renew scheme. We would also request monthly updates to increase the collection of the Derelict Sites Levy and to speed up the return of vacant social homes.

When it comes to empty council properties we need the government to reverse the cut imposed on funding used to tackle voids and an immediate increase in this funding to match the demands on Dublin City Council. It is incredible that at the height of the current housing crisis the government has cut funding for voids.  

Dublin should be a safe place for everyone. We must work together to ensure our city is safe for all residents and visitors.

Unfortunately a considerable number of residents in our capital city feel unsafe. Sinn Féin has presented our plans to invest in the Gardaí, to deploy more officers on our streets to protect the communities. We would introduce a public transport policing unit to ensure people can feel safe while using public transport. We would get to grips with the recruitment and retention crisis in the Gardaí to end the huge numbers resigning.

We also understand we cannot simply police our way out the anti-social behaviour. The cuts imposed on youth services, drugs projects and family services must be reversed. In hardest hit communities inter agency task forces must be established to work in partnership to deliver the change necessary that makes our communities safer, welcoming places to work and visit.

Ensuring road safety and accessible transportation are fundamental to enabling people to live, work, and enjoy their communities securely. 2023 witnessed the highest road fatality rates in nearly a decade, with Dublin ranking as the poorest among 30 European cities in public transport. It's time for change.

We recognise that many children cannot safely access school without relying on a lift from parents. This can be a barrier to parents, but it also reduces young people’s independence.

Encouraging more active modes of transportation, like cycling and walking, will play a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis. To make this feasible, individuals must have confidence in their safety while doing so.

We support auditing all footpaths and putting in place a programme of footpath restoration so everyone can walk and move around their local area confidently.

I have a record of working with others in opposing racism and bigotry wherever it raises its ugly head. I helped set up my local Drimnagh For All and the citywide Dublin For All groups. I actively campaigned for marriage equality and will continue to work for full rights and protections for our LGBTQ+ friends and loved ones.

I am committed to actively supporting a society that is fair, inclusive, and embraces diversity. It is crucial that all members of our communities feel safe and welcomed.

Arson attacks on accommodation centres identified for asylum seekers or any homeless people has no place in our society, and I strongly condemn these actions. Those involved should face the full rigours of the law.