As we know housing is one of the biggest issues nationally and Fingal is doing a lot of the heavy lifting increasing numbers. In my own hometown of Donabate, there is a major development of 1,300 units currently in development, with another in the pipeline for over 1,000 units.

I believe that engaging early with developers on their plans and encouraging good consultation with resident groups to address their concerns can reduce conflict and speed up delivery of housing. 

We also need to make better use of existing properties. The Croí Cónaithe grant scheme was brought in to help encourage the renovation of vacant and derelict properties and hopefully the new tax being introduced next year will add to that incentive.

We need more step-down accommodation for those in later life that would like to downsize while staying in their communities. We need a lot more affordable accommodation built in general. 

This is one of the most common issues I hear on the doors. When an area is growing quickly there is often a lag between population growth and service provision. I would like to see this reversed, and the local authority deliver more quickly on their commitments under the Local Area Plans. For example, Rush has been waiting years for a new secondary school as a site wasn't secured before the houses were built.

I am working with a group in Donabate who are trying to set up a multifunctional youth centre, but we are struggling to find an appropriate site as most public land has been earmarked for housing. We have a major lack of childcare facilities in the area and developers are slow to build the creches. Sometimes, they try to avoid building them at all. 

If elected, I will look for greater enforcement on developers to abide by their commitments in new developments and ensure better provision for community amenities. I will also identify opportunities to improve our public spaces and make them more liveable. 

While I acknowledge the importance of Dublin Airport both as a strategic and economic transport hub, the introduction of the north runway has had a detrimental impact on those living close to the airport and under the flight paths. It's clear they are not following the flight paths that were outlined in the 2007 planning application for the north runway and that they are impacting communities. Infringements of planning regulations by any industry are not acceptable. 

Given the existing transport infrastructure, I don't believe that a major expansion of the airport should be considered soon. Residents are already suffering from severe noise pollution and traffic congestion and any expansion would only make this worse. Any expansion should only be considered once better transport links like the Metro are complete and some way found to reduce the noise impact on residents. In the meantime, we should look at developing our regional airports and move away from our Dublin-centric model.

I have a vision of Fingal where it is easier and safer for most journeys to be taken by public transport, foot, bicycle, or scooter. Rural locations should have a viable transport system that works and safe routes to cycle and walk. Owning a car should be a choice, not a necessity. This was the case when I was growing up, but cars have taken over our towns and congestion has made our transport system ineffective.

To make transport more effective it needs to be frequent and reliable. Continued investment with the rollout of Dart + and bus corridors will help with this, but we need to increase capacity on many of the Bus services. I have been working with GoAhead to identify opportunities to improve this.

Accessibility to transport is a big issue in some towns. For example, Rush and Lusk station is situated outside both towns with no safe cycling route and a bus route that is over capacity. I’d love to see a safe cycling route between the towns and a shuttle bus that services the route at peak times.

Increased permeability is also essential to reduce journey times and improve safety. I am committed to work on this with the council and community.


I have a vision of Fingal where it is easier and safer for most journeys to be taken by public transport, foot, bicycle, or scooter. Rural locations should have a viable transport system that works and safe routes to cycle and walk. Owning a car should be a choice, not a necessity. This was the case when I was growing up, but cars have taken over our towns and congestion has made our transport system ineffective.

The towns of North County Dublin, like many in Ireland, were small rural towns and the roads entering them reflect that heritage. There is some urgent work that needs to be done to improve safety for all road users. For example, the Hearse Rd in Donabate has a blind bend where a wall has been knocked down by cars so many times I’ve lost count.

Improvements should be made to create better visibility and traffic management systems put in place to slow vehicles down. Consideration should also be given to limiting accessibility and speed of heavy vehicles. Increased space for pedestrians and protected cycling lanes are a much better use of space and provide better visibility than parked cars.

Last year Fingal CC announced a Biodiversity Action Plan that included 100 different actions to protect nature and improve biodiversity in the county that has been seriously damaged by development, pollution, and climate change.

We need to reverse some of the damage that has been done and there are fantastic community groups all over the county doing great work on the ground and a huge interest in improving and protecting nature.

I recently helped set up a Sustainability Group in Donabate and we are working to identify areas where we can plant more trees, hedgerows, and wildflower meadows and to set up a community gardens around the peninsula. I have seen what can been achieved when the council listen and work positively with groups like the tidy towns, coastal community groups and other local interest groups. I am very committed to working with local groups helping them get the funding they need to continue their great work.

To ensure sufficient facilities are provided for to a growing population it needs to be built into our planning system. Sites and locations must be identified prior to any building being undertaken. I believe that this has been improved upon in the last development plan, but we have a lot to catch up on.

One major issue for me is that lack of public swimming pools in the county and the overreliance on private sports clubs to teach children to swim. Parents are currently driving great distances and at huge inconvenience to access a swimming pool. I believe all children in urban areas should have access to a public pool by foot or on public transport.

All towns should have easy access to open spaces where people and children can be in nature. Access to nature is essential for both physical and mental health. We are lucky in Fingal to have so many beautiful parks and beaches, but we need to ensure all our citizens have better access to them and ensure they are open at times when they can be appreciated.