Priorities:
- Other Equality - Katherine is running for election to work with people to make full equality possible, where every person has an equal chance to flourish.
- Other Opportunity - Katherine is focused on progressive policies which will increase household incomes, provide proper access to education, and create jobs.
- Other Fairness - Katherine is campaigning for the recovery to focus on those who are most vulnerable in society & those most impacted by the austerity cuts.
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:
"Public services benefit all citizens more equally than tax cuts. However, I believe the tax burden on low and middle income earners must be eased. I support further reductions in the USC. "
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:
"The income tax on high income earners is relatively high in international standards and should not be raised in order to attract FDI in Ireland. I am also calling for the taxation of self employed to be brought in line this that of employees. "
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:
"We need to improve our water system and encourage conservation and water metering and charging for wasteful use of water is one way to achieve this. However I am deeply concerned about water poverty and believe that people who cannot afford to pay for water should not be charged.
"
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:
"I would never encourage citizens to break the law. However, I do believe we need to abolish Irish Water and go back to the drawing board. I have called the public ownership of our water services to be put to the Irish people through a referendum. "
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:
"I support the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment. It is time to have an open and honest debate in this country about reproductive rights. "
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:
"I support the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment as proposed by the Constitutional Convention. "
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:
"The minimum wage should be brought in line with Living wage. Especially in urban centers such as Dublin, the cost of living has risen astronomically while households incomes have not increased. Work must pay and working families need to be able to put food on the table and care for their children. "
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:
"Low pay and precarious work conditions are barriers especially to women who are balancing work, care, education and public participation. It will be one of my top priorities to ensure decent working conditions in Ireland, including a living wage and abolishing low and zero hours contracts.
"
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:
"The terms of renting in the private sector need to improve to provide more security of tenure and certainty on rents for the tenants. I have recently published a housing Bill that has the potential to sequence the much needed reform of the private rented sector in a fair and effective way. "
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
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:
"
We need to provide more funding for permanent accommodation for Travellers and ensure safety so that tragedies like Carrickmines will not happen again. From 2007 to the present, funding for Traveller housing was reduced from 70 million to 4.1 million. This is unacceptable.
"
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:
"We need universal healthcare for all our residents - it will be up for the next Government to decide on the most beneficial funding model for actualizing this. I believe public health services should be under public governance to ensure that the welfare of patients remains the priority. "
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:
" The state's investment in early childhood is insufficient. The situation is unsustainable - for the providers, for the early years staff and the parents. Investing in our children will set us on a course of sustainable and fair economic recovery and create foundation for growth in the future. "
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:
"As an educator and a prime advocate of the separation of church and state - I very much believe that we need a non-faith based education system in Ireland where children of all faiths (or none) can be educated together."
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:
"Discrimination against unbaptized children in school admission to tax payer funded schools cannot continue. I also believe, the state needs to ensure access to non-faith schools in every community across the country. "
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:
"Yes, we need to do our part to alleviate the suffering of those fleeing wars and persecution. As a member of the Justice Committee and Human Rights Sub-Committee, I have engaged with migrants here in Ireland and have seen the positive contribution they are making in our communities.
"
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 huge positive potential of European integration to become a major driver for human rights is still relatively unrealized. I believe that the EU Structural funds could play an important role in assisting the Member States to achieve community living for older people and persons with disabilities."
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:
" Ireland has a huge potential to benefit from wind power and produce clean energy on reliable prices. It is equally important that wind farm developers treat the communities with respect, address their concerns appropriately and make sure that the communities benefit directly from the development.
"
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:
"It is time to take climate change seriously and make it a priority to meet our emissions targets.
"
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:
"As an Independent Candidate - My only agenda is to act for and on behalf of my constituents on all matters. "
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 believe a better way to close the disconnect between politics and that is why I am proposing the establishment of a National Civic Forum, made up of citizens and parliamentarians, to initiate referendums and to allow direct engagement on laws and policy for all people. "
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:
"The administration of justice is seldom a simple matter, and a certain discretion must always rest with the judiciary. However, I do believe community service for the less serious offenders often provides better outcomes for the individuals and the society."
22 of 22 questions