Main message to voters:
The Banking Inquiry report highlighted that €9bn could have been saved had this government had the courage to challenge the ECB. That's gone but there is yet €25bn of the €31bn Promissory Note Anglo legacy debt to be fought for. For 5 years we in Ballyhea have battled; I'm now looking for a mandate.
Election history:
1st venture was the European Parliament election of 2014. Was working full-time with the Irish Examiner, didn't start campaigning til May 6th for election on May 23rd. Four-seater, was 4th after first count, undone then by huge transfer from Brian Crowley to FF running-mate but lasted til 10th count
Priorities:
- BANK-DEBT: €70bn bled from the people, transfused to the healthiest & wealthiest. That burden must be lifted, starting with the €31bn P Note debt.
- RURAL REGENERATION: In rural Ireland we're the forgotten people. We need our Post Offices back, our Garda stations; we need broadband. We need a voice
- TTIP EU/USA trade partnership? It’s not about trade, it’s about reversing social gains, about lowering standards; a charter for global corporations.
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:
"From each according to their means, to each according to their needs; doesn't matter who said that, it fits my thinking. Tax is the price we pay for civilisation, public services the embodiment of that. I do agree, however, those services also need to be efficient, value for money."
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:
"I don't agree with taxing anyone to hell and gone; the major problem world-wide today isn't that we're not getting enough from individuals, it's that we're not getting enough from the major corporations, that governments world-wide (and here especially) facilitate tax evasion."
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:
"Of all public needs (health, education, infrastructure, housing etc) water is the most basic; the amount a household uses should NOT depend on the amount it can afford. Fix the pipes and we sort the waste problem; meters introduce potential leaks (too many new joints), are NOT cost-efficient."
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:
"Absolutely, yes."
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 can see an argument in the case of fatal foetal abnormality; can't in the case of rape. To me, this is a human rights issue and an unborn child is probably as vulnerable a life as there is."
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:
"No-one under the age of 50 has voted on this; true democracy isn't about allowing people to vote only on topics of which you approve. Let the people speak on this, I say, and trust in their judgement. I believe that the right to life of the unborn would be reinforced by a new referendum."
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:
"Unless the cost of living is drastically decreased (and I don't see that happening any time soon), then anyone working should have a living wage."
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:
"This is a basic. Do we want a return to the days when no-one had any job security? I don't."
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:
"And no landlord TD should be allowed vote on it in the Dáil."
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:
"If someone has scraped and sacrificed for decades to put their own roof over their own head, they should not be then punished for that with this penal tax. Worse, if they happen to live in an expensive area, they're caught for even a bigger mortgage, then a bigger tax. Wrong."
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:
"The whole idea of all this should be integration and that's not going to be achieved by force. Education is the key, education of all sides so we can end this sorry sore in Irish society."
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:
"Again, yes, single system based on need, not on personal wealth."
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:
"Of course we should, and I mean 'we the State', because we ARE the State. Kids are our future, proper childcare isn't an expense, it's an investment in that 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:
"Religion as a subject, the morals, values and ethos of various religions as topics to be debated, discussed and taken up/rejected as the students see fit."
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:
"Period."
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:
"Ireland has more native-born people living abroad than any other nation; we've been shown generosity, we need to show similar. I do NOT, however, have any time for welfare tourists and spongers, and please, let no-one tell me they don't exist."
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:
"For me, this isn't even for discussion. We've gone much too far."
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:
"Would a car manufacturer invest heavily in a car that yes, can go from 0-100mph in less than 10 seconds, while returning 100mpg, but then a day later hasn't got the energy (literally) to leave the driveway? That about sums up wind 'energy' - utterly unreliable, needs complete fossil fuel backup."
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:
"Any other option is short-sighted in the extreme. What kind of planet do we want to hand on to future generations?"
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:
"The whip should be used only on the budget and on votes of confidence; otherwise let the chips fall where they may, all TDs voting as they see fit which would see democracy and power return to where it was meant to be, to the Oireachtas, rather than to an elite few above the Cabinet, or even to just the government parties."
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:
"Yes, return to the original Constitution as overseen by Michael Collins, set an agreed minimum of signatories."
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:
"Note - CRIMINALS. There should be no custodial sentences for petty crimes. Lock up only those who are dangerous and a real threat to society; otherwise, fines, community service - why bring further and unnecessary cost on the State? Then, you could also have meaningful reform programmes inside prison. "
22 of 22 questions