How would you help get more housing built in the city – especially social and affordable housing?
The retention of public land in the City for social and affordable housing must be a priority. The reliance on private developers to deliver small amounts of social housing needs to be addressed and ultimately it will be a change of government policy that will tackle the biggest crisis facing Dublin. Affordable housing must be genuinely affordable too, and not just a tag line.
How would you help improve conditions in existing housing, both social and privately rented?
The Council needs to take on more apprenticeship trades people to ensure we have the ability to solve maintenance issues in our housing stock. We also need to expand the insulation programme of social housing through greater investment and widen the entitlement to grants to retrofit private houses.
What would you do to help make the city feel less dirty, tackling the rubbish and dog poo all over the streets?
The council will shortly take on 100 general operatives to work in the area of street cleaning especially in the City Centre. We need to continue to employ more staff in this area and this would be a priority of mine if re-elected. I also support the Council taking back the bin collection service.
What would you do to help tackle vacancy and dereliction?
As part of our annual budgets over the last few years we have decreased the rates vacancy refund for businesses. This is a targeted strategy to discourage vacancy. I would support the continuation of this strategy. I would also support the collection of derelict sites levy to speed up the return of vacant houses.
What needs to be done to make the city feel safer?
We need a more visible garda presence on the streets in the city. The recent increase in gardai in the city centre cannot result in less gardai in our communities across Dublin, so the recruitment of more gardai needs to be a priority. The development of a night time economy would bring greater footfall to our city also.
What needs to be done to improve public transport in the city?
I always found it bizarre that there is so many groups looking after transport in the city. DCC, NTA, TII, TFI and more all have responsibilities for public transport. There needs to be a coherent plan involving all these groups to connect all different types of public transport. We also need to develop a proper schools bus system for the city, this is not just a rural issue. We also need more electric buses in the city.
What should be done to make it nicer and safer for people to get around the city on foot and by bike?
The active travel unit of the council has done some great work and they need to be properly resourced to continue this work. We also need to invest in repairing damaged roads and footpaths in the city. The current level of funding from central government is completely inadequate and a recent report showed us it will take us 100 years to repair all damaged roads at current funding levels.
What would you do to help counter the rise of the far right, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, and anti-asylum-seeker arsons?
Greater consultation and engagement with communities needs to happen. All sections of our communities must feel safe and included and I will continue to work with all groups to ensure this. Arson attacks on accommodation has no place in our country and serves no purpose for anyone, I condemn these attacks.