How would you help get more housing built in the city – especially social and affordable housing?
The housing crisis has caused misery for countless people across the north inner city. Everyone should have the right to a secure and affordable home. Too many people are paying sky high rents and unable to save up for a deposit to buy their own home. I have countless amounts of people onto me who still live at home in their parents home lots of them with families of their own. People don’t see a way out of their parents box bedrooms because this government and successive ones have failed to support their needs by making housing affordable, efficient and safe.
A change of government is needed to unravel and reverse decades of bad housing policy.
Only a Sinn Féin lead government will take a different approach to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. In our 2024 Alternative Budget we set out that a Sinn Féin government would deliver greater investment, increase targets to match demand, cut out red tape which is resulting in delays of up to 2 years before a brick is laid, use new technology to build, speed up planning and introduce changes to tax codes, to incentivise building of affordable homes.
I am currently the only Sinn Féin councillor elected to the north inner city, I need a team around me on the council so we can deliver for the people across our constituency and turn this housing crisis around.
How would you help improve conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented?
Currently my case load is top heavy with maintenance issues, we have people living in Dickensian conditions. Black mould and damp is a huge problem across our housing stock, issues like small leaks are not addressed quick enough to combat the issue and it becomes a much bigger issue. People deserve to live in warm safe homes.
My party has proposed significant increases in Government funding for Councils to maintain, refurbish and retrofit Council homes. I am currently working with locals in our different flat complexes and housing estates across the constituency to combat these issues and help them to be heard. Local authorities need more funding to manage the maintenance issues including windows and doors, damp, mould and leaks. We would also introduce a regeneration scheme for apartments and flats that are past their lifespan.
People should not have to live in damp, mouldy or unmaintained homes. We would prioritise those homes in greatest need of repair and reduce waiting lists for basic maintenance.
What would you do to help make the city feel less dirty, tackling the rubbish and dog poo all over the streets?
I fully and continue to support the process of bringing bin services back into public ownership, as well as public waste services such as bins and recycling centres. I was a member of a sub committee on littering and used that platform to highlight the many issues facing the north inner city in relation to waste management, illegal dumping and dog fouling. I will continue to work towards finding solutions that work to help make and keep Dublin clean and friendly.
What would you do to help tackle vacancy and dereliction?
Vacant and derelict properties are the bane of my life, I have so many people onto me every day looking for homes and we see high levels of vacant properties and dereliction in our capital city, especially across the north inner city. Not only are these vacant and derelict buildings flying in the face of those desperate for a home, they make the city and our communities look awful. I would continue to call for local authorities to compulsory purchase where practical and return derelict properties into use along with the buy and renew scheme.
What needs to be done to make the city feel safer?
People don’t feel safe in parts of our capital city, I don’t like to admit that but it’s the truth. I have noticed over the years that more and more people are openly telling me this. Sinn Féin have outlined our proposals to invest in the Gardaí, so we can have more Gardaí on our streets protecting communities. One way this can be achieved is by introducing a transport policing unit to ensure people can feel safe while using public transport. We know that the recruitment and retention crisis in the Gardaí needs to be addressed. I will continue to work with my colleagues to address this.
What needs to be done to improve public transport in the city?
Road safety and accessible transport are at the heart of ensuring people can live, work and play safely in their communities. 2023 saw the highest number of deaths on our roads in almost a decade. Dublin ranked worst, in public transport, of 30 European Cities in 2023. 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. In government we would increase funding to make getting to school safe.
What should be done to make it nicer and safer for people to get around the city on foot and by bike?
Ensuring more active travel, such as cycling and walking, will be a key way to tackle the climate crisis. In order to ensure this is realistic, people must feel confident that they can do so safely.
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.
What would you do to help counter the rise of the far right, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, and anti-asylum-seeker arsons?
I will continue to be a loud voice for a fair, equal and diverse society. We all need to be allies in stamping out hate of any sort. All sections of our communities must be able to feel safe and included. Burning buildings down to the ground that have being identified for accommodation for asylum seekers have no place in our society and I condemn these attacks.