How would you help get more housing built in the city – especially social and affordable housing?
I hope the new planning bill currently going through the Oireachtas will help update our very slow planning system, which in turn will lead to building houses quicker. In my own area of Finglas and Ballymun, there are plans to build over 2,000 units but the council must be delivering quicker given the current crisis. All the tools are now there for local authorities with the Housing for All plan so the pressure is on to deliver. Less bureaucracy and more power to local authorities.
How would you help improve conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented?
Increased funding for retrofitting DCC’s existing housing stock. This will also help with climate action. I have contacted the private rented section on several occasions during my time as a Councillor and found that section to be quite efficient, so we need to ensure that they are properly resourced.
What would you do to help make the city feel less dirty, tackling the rubbish and dog poo all over the streets?
The long-awaited LGMA guidelines have been passed, which will allow local authorities to effectively use CCTV again to catch culprits. I think Councils could use technology better with the use of drones, number plate recognition etc. Dog Poo is a harder issue but there is no doubt that the city needs more dog wardens and litter wardens.
What would you do to help tackle vacancy and dereliction?
I think the Croí Cónaithe vacancy grants and new taxes have helped. The voids list is published monthly by each LEA which is important to ensure that DCC stock is turned over as quickly as possible. We could examine the total gutting of houses when a tenant transfers, passes away or the council buys a property, surely there are elements that don’t have to be changed which would speed up how long they are vacant.
What needs to be done to make the city feel safer?
More Gardaí on the beat and the proper resourcing of community Gardaí. I read recently about plans to expand the force to 18,000, which I welcome, but these Gardaí should be put in our communities and be visible to make people feel safe. The administration burden for Gardaí also needs to be examined.
What needs to be done to improve public transport in the city?
Build the Metro and Luas extension, which will encourage fewer people to use their cars in the city. There are elements of the city Busconnects programme such as the high-frequency spines and connections to the airport that are to be welcomed, however, the loss of a localised service in many areas will have a negative impact, particularly for older people.
What should be done to make it nicer and safer for people to get around the city on foot and by bike?
I regularly cycle into the city centre and I feel relatively safe, I would support more cycle lanes if they don’t have a huge impact on traffic such as Griffith Avenue, which has had a dramatic negative impact on traffic in the area. Hopefully with improvements to public transport people will have a variety of methods to go into the city centre.
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 think a zero-tolerance approach is needed here, particularly arson attacks and attacks on individuals. The government must also explain our immigration policy better and state how important immigration is to our economy and workforce as there is a lot of misinformation out there. Social media companies must also be held to account as they allow misinformation to spread and remain in circulation without repercussions.