Main message to voters:
The budget gave more to the rich and gave multinationals another tax-break scheme. The priorities must change: restore living standards for ordinary people, stop paying bankers debt and end the charges that are paying for the bailout, like the water charge - which I call for people not to pay.
Election history:
I was elected to Kildare Co Council in 2014 on my record of opposing austerity. I am standing in the General Election as a candidate who campaigns for positive change. I fight for equality and for a government that will act in the interests of ordinary people, the majority, and stop climate change.
Priorities:
- Other I oppose the property tax and fight for the restoration of local services, especially healthcare, like Naas Hospital and the North Kildare ambulance.
- Other I want a €3bn/yr state home-building program. Stop evictions: raise Rent Supplement; reduce interest & write-down mortgages; don't sell AIB or PTSB.
- Other Repeal the 8th Amendment: free, safe, legal abortion. End Irish collusion with invasions in the Middle East. Welcome refugees. End Direct Provision.
Candidate positions on the election issues:
Budget and taxes
What should the priority be in the next budget?
With a growing economy, government revenue is increasing. This can be put back into the economy in the form of tax cuts or increased spending on public services, or it can be used to reduce the national debt.
Prioritise increased spending on public services
Prioritise tax cuts
Prioritise reducing the national debt
None of the above
Comment:
"Restore the €4 billion cut from healthcare: for more staff, and pay increases to retain them; for new buildings and hundreds more beds to increase capacity. Education, esp Special Needs, must be fully funded, to end costs to parents. Expand public transport: reduce energy use to fight climate change"
1 of 22 questions
Should high earners pay more tax than they currently do?
There are two income tax rates: the standard rate of 20% applies to all income up to a certain amount (€33,800 for a single person); and the higher rate of 40%, applies to all income earned over that amount. The Universal Social Charge is also payable at different rates depending on income.
Yes, to reduce economic inequality high earners should pay more tax
No, high earners pay enough at present
No, to reward work high earners should pay less tax than they do now
None of the above
Comment:
"Those who caused the crash should pay for it: end bank bailouts. Tax according to ability to pay: slash consumption taxes; tax wealth over €1 million; a 5% levy on top incomes, the 10,000 who get nearly €600,000; tax multinationals at an effective 12.5%; a Financial Transaction Tax on share deals."
2 of 22 questions
Water
How should water be funded?
Currently, water charges are capped at €160 per year for households with one adult and €260 for households with more than one adult. Households with low water usage may get a rebate.
Water should be free at the point of use and funded through general taxation
The current policy (with capped charges per household) should be maintained
Households that use more water (above a set allowance) should pay more
None of the above
Comment:
"The water charge is regressive – ignoring ability-to-pay. It's a bank bailout charge. It would only cut consumption by 3%. Fund water through progressive taxation; increase charges to commercial users, who profit from water; fix leaks and build treatment works thro state funding; no privatisation."
3 of 22 questions
Should water charges be boycotted?
Some political parties and groups have advocated a boycott of the water charges
Yes, water charges are wrong and should be boycotted
No, water charges are wrong, but we should obey the law and pay
No, water charges are necessary
None of the above
Comment:
"Only boycott will ensure this charge is scrapped – and it's winning. The govt. has retreated, due to protest and a boycott that is near 50%. They're deferring the full charge til the 2021 election, coz they know they can't enforce it. Mass action and boycott are the way to beat this unfair charge.
"
4 of 22 questions
Abortion
When should abortion be permitted?
Abortion is currently only permitted when the life of the mother is at risk (including risk of suicide). Legal abortions are rare; for example, there were 26 cases during 2014.
Only when the mother’s life is at risk from illness
Only when the mother’s life is at risk from illness or suicide (the current position)
When the mother’s life is at risk and in certain other cases such as rape and fatal foetal abnormality
Abortion should be freely available up to a certain number of weeks in a pregnancy
None of the above
Comment:
"Abortion should be safe, free & legal. Women should have the same rights and choices as men to medical treatment, including abortion. There should be no legal restrictions on abortion. It should be the decision of a woman and her doctor, guided by medical regulation and international best practice."
5 of 22 questions
Should there be a referendum on the 8th Amendment of the Constitution?
The 8th Amendment introduced a constitutional ban on abortion by acknowledging the right to life of the unborn (with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother).
Yes, the 8th Amendment should be repealed
There should be a referendum, but I would vote to defend the 8th Amendment
No, there should not be a referendum on the 8th Amendment
None of the above
Comment:
"Repeal the 8th asap. There should be no preconditions or delay. Restricting access to grounds of fatal fetal abnormalities, rape or incest or risk to the woman's life or health would define some women as deserving, and others undeserving. No woman chooses abortion lightly: I say respect that choice."
6 of 22 questions
Wages and employment
Should the minimum wage be increased?
The minimum wage has recently been raised to €9.15 per hour.
Yes, the minimum wage should be increased further
No, it is high enough; further increases could mean fewer jobs
No, the minimum wage is too high and should be decreased
None of the above
Comment:
"Increase the minimum wage to a living wage of at least €11.50 an hour, rising to €14 – applied also to young people. Low minimum wage means low wages for all workers – when corporate profits have increased. Low minimum wage also increases the disparity between the domestic and multinational economy."
7 of 22 questions
Should all employees be guaranteed a certain number of hours work per week?
In some sectors, such as retail, the number of hours work offered to employees varies greatly from week to week.
Yes, employees who want it should be given a guaranteed number of hours
Employers should try to provide guaranteed hours to staff, but the state should not intervene
No, employers sometimes need flexibility in order to stay in business
None of the above
Comment:
"All employees should get a contract that specify hours and wages. Zero hours and 'if-and-when' contracts should be banned. The best means for workers to get decent wages is to end restrictions on their right to defend wages and conditions by repeal of the Thatcherite 1990 Industrial Relations Act."
8 of 22 questions
Housing
Should there be tighter controls on rent?
Currently, landlords can only increase rent every two years, and rent increases must be justifiable in terms of the market rate.
Yes, to improve rent certainty increases should be capped in line with inflation
No, current controls on rent are adequate
No, rent controls are to be opposed as they reduce the supply of housing
None of the above
Comment:
"Rent increases should be pegged to inflation and wage rises. Rent Supplement and the HAP should match current rents, to stop evictions. Rent controls would stop excessive costs to the state. The state should directly build 90,000 homes as the only way to ensure affordable housing and reduce rents."
9 of 22 questions
What is your view on the Local Property Tax?
The Local Property Tax is charged on all residential properties. The revenue raised is used to fund services by local authorities.
The Local Property Tax is fair and provides much needed revenue for local authorities
Property taxes are a good idea, but the current system needs to be reformed
Property taxes are unfair and should be abolished
None of the above
Comment:
"The LPT gets most from average earners. 70% of LPT payers in Kildare have houses valued under €200,000. It is another bank-bailout tax. Scrap it and instead levy: a wealth tax; an extra 5% from those paid over €500,000; an effective 12.5% on profits of multinationals; a Financial Transaction tax."
10 of 22 questions
What is your view on Traveller accommodation?
The Department of the Environment provides funding to local authorities for Traveller accommodation (e.g. halting sites and group housing schemes), but many local authorities have been reluctant to build these sites due to local opposition.
More should be done to provide accommodation for Travellers, even if there is local opposition
More Traveller accommodation is needed, but it should not be built against the wishes of the local community
The state should not build accommodation specifically for Travellers
None of the above
Comment:
"Travellers, like the settled population, should have access to housing. If proper accommodation is provided, there are few issues. The inadequate housing provided at present must be expanded and upgraded."
11 of 22 questions
Health and childcare
Should there be free health care for all, paid for through higher taxes?
Currently, only some people are entitled to free health care or free GP care. Many people who can afford it choose to take out private health insurance.
Yes, health care should be free for all, even if it means higher taxes
GP care should be free, but universal health care would cost too much
No, those who can afford to pay should not have free health care
None of the above
Comment:
"The most equitable and efficient healthcare is thro a national health system, free at the point of need, funded by progressive taxation on wealth etc. The two-tier system must end: it makes consultants and insurers rich and allows queue jumping for those with the means – while ordinary people wait."
12 of 22 questions
Should the state do more to cover the cost of childcare?
The cost of childcare in Ireland is high by international standards. From September 2016, children over the age of three will be entitled to free pre-school for three hours a day. Beyond that it is up to parents to pay.
Yes, even if it means less resources available for other measures
No, current subsidies for childcare are adequate
No, the cost of childcare should be borne by parents
None of the above
Comment:
"Childcare should be low cost and available to all, funded by progressive taxation. Facilities should be purpose-built, with trained, properly-paid staff. Childcare should be a shared, social responsibility – not a matter of luck or wealth – and not another business opportunity."
13 of 22 questions
Religion in schools
Should religion be taught in state-funded primary schools?
Typically, primary schools spend 30 minutes a day on religious education, which in most cases involves instruction in a particular faith.
Yes, schools should instruct pupils in line with their religions ethos
Pupils should learn about various religions, not one particular faith
No, religion should only be taught outside of school
None of the above
Comment:
"If people want to teach religion to their children, it should be outside of school. Religious patronage should be removed from schools (and hospitals) and not determine what is taught regarding morality, sex education or stay-safe practices for children. All schools should be non-denominational."
14 of 22 questions
Should schools be allowed to give preference to children based on religion?
Approximately 96% of primary schools in Ireland are under religious patronage. In areas where schools are oversubscribed, some schools give preference to children based on their religion.
Yes, schools should be able to serve their own religious community first
Yes, but only if there are suitable alternatives (e.g. non-denominational schools) in the area
No, religion should have no place in school admissions policies for state-funded schools
None of the above
Comment:
"Admission to school should not be influenced by religion. The underlying issue is a lack of capacity. Existing schools must be expanded and new schools built to meet local need. Boards of management should be non-denominational, with no religious involvement."
15 of 22 questions
Immigration, the EU
Should we accept more refugees in Ireland than we currently do?
In response to the migrant crisis, the current government has agreed to accept more refugees. However, Ireland still takes a relatively small number of refugees compared to some EU countries (such as Germany and Sweden).
Yes, we should accept a greater number of refugees
No, we accept enough already
No, we should accept fewer refugees than we currently do
None of the above
Comment:
"Human solidarity says we take refugees. There is plenty for all, if we tax the rich. We must not leave people in camps, or to drown. End collusion with invasions of the Middle East, the cause of the crisis, by stopping the US army using Shannon; act to stop displacement of Palestinians by Israel."
16 of 22 questions
Has European integration gone too far?
Some argue that greater integration is necessary to tackle EU-wide issues such as the financial crisis and the migrant crisis, while others believe that the EU interferes too much in the affairs of member states.
Yes, more power should be returned to member states
The current level of integration is acceptable
No, European integration should be pushed further
None of the above
Comment:
"The EU is anti-democratic and anti-social, giving absolute priority to banks and big business – as people go hungry and homeless. Yet there is not a national solution. So we must break the anti-social rules, retain trade and social links, and form new agreements with European and other countries."
17 of 22 questions
Environment
Should more wind farms be built in Ireland?
Currently, Ireland has 199 wind farms, which produce around 18% of the country’s electricity. Ireland has signed up to a target of generating 40% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Yes, we need more wind farms
No, there are enough wind farms already
No, there are too many wind farms
None of the above
Comment:
"I support state-owned wind farms that have community participation. I oppose developer-led projects designed to maximise profit. They should be part of an integrated European system for renewable energy, with solar, wave, tidal and geothermal - built in conjunction with energy storage systems."
18 of 22 questions
Should we sign up to the EU’s targets on reducing emissions?
The European Commission wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. Some groups are opposed to this because they believe it would have a negative impact on certain sectors, such as agriculture.
Yes, we should do what it takes to reduce our emissions in line with EU targets
We should seek to reduce emissions, but these targets are too ambitious for Ireland
No, we do not need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
None of the above
Comment:
"EU targets are the minimum needed to stop catastrophic climate change. Cut emissions by changing to renewable energy; massive investment in public transport; stop expanding meat production / emissions and grow other food; insulate homes and public buildings to reduce energy use. "
19 of 22 questions
Political reform
Is the party whip system too rigid?
Political parties nominate someone as the ‘party whip’ whose job it is to ensure that TDs vote according to the party line, or else face the prospect of being removed from the party.
Yes, TDs should take instruction from their constituents or follow their conscience on all matters
TDs should be given a free vote on ethical issues, but on other matters the whip is needed
No, government parties need to be united in order to implement their policies
None of the above
Comment:
"Politicians come under popular pressure to break the whip because the current political system – with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at it's centre – is undemocratic in it's defence of inequality and the power of the wealthy. We need a new party that will defend the rights of workers and the oppressed."
20 of 22 questions
Should citizens be able to initiate referendums?
Currently only the government can call a referendum. In some countries, citizens can initiate a referendum to introduce or overturn legislation or amend the constitution, once a certain number of signatures are collected.
Yes, allowing citizens to initiate referendums would empower the people
Yes, but only for referendums to overturn legislation (not to amend the constitution or introduce new legislation)
No, citizen-initiated referendums would be costly and potentially chaotic
None of the above
Comment:
"I support popular power, but referendums can't be won without political organisation. To advance the interests of ordinary people, and equality for women and other groups, a new party is needed as a democratic means to fight for our interests – both in referendums and to form a workers' government."
21 of 22 questions
Crime
Are criminal sentences too lenient in Ireland?
There are currently around 3,700 people in prison in Ireland. The number of prisoners has increased in recent years, but the rate of incarceration remains relatively low by international standards.
Yes, criminals should be more severely punished
No, the current sentencing regime is about right
No, there should be a greater focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment
None of the above
Comment:
"Crime is always defined by those in power: judges send poor people to jail for stealing food or not leaving a repossessed home. Most crime relates to inequality or power – including violence to women. We need to examine and change relations of power and wealth rather than talking of more punishment."
22 of 22 questions