How would you help get more housing built in the city – especially social and affordable housing?
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.
How would you help improve conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented?
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.
What would you do to help make the city feel less dirty, tackling the rubbish and dog poo all over the streets?
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.
What would you do to help tackle vacancy and dereliction?
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.
What needs to be done to make the city feel safer?
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.
What needs to be done to improve public transport in the city?
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.
What should be done to make it nicer and safer for people to get around the city on foot and by bike?
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.
What would you do to help counter the rise of the far right, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, and anti-asylum-seeker arsons?
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.