Main message to voters:
Bringing Direct Democracy to the Limerick people. Striving for transparency and accountability at National and Local levels. The people will be part of the process, long after casting their vote, rather than relying on promises at doors. I am fully in support of 1Yi, Right2Water and Reinstate 48.
Election history:
I have never ran for an election before, but as I am a candidate for the DDI/NCM I advocate Direct Democracy where people initiated referendums are paramount. Reinstating articles 47 and 48 back into our constitution is key to the people being able to reclaim what was taken from them.
Priorities:
- To bring the people into the process of decision making. We need to take part in voting on issues that affect our Envionment, health and Livelihoods.
- To strive towards an eventual reversal of all the unjust taxes and cuts that have been imposed on the people by the Austerity parties.
- To see an immediate stop to repossessions of Family homes, businesses and farms until a sustainable solution can be found. Homelessness must end!
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:
"Our Health system. transport system in rural areas, care of the elderly and disabled in their own homes, front line emergency services etc have all been crippled over many years by Austerity Party governments. "
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:
"There should be a Progressive taxation system where those that earn the most pay the most, but there should be tax breaks for high earners that contribute to Irish society by providing essential services and/or being good employers."
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:
"Answer is self explanatory. We already pay through general taxation, plus 66% of our road tax at current figures."
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:
"Water is a right and the most important thing we have. Without it we cannot survive so why it is alright to put a charge on it and make a profit from it is totally beyond me. The risk of our water falling into private hands is ominous.It has always been paid for through general taxation."
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:
"As a member of a party that advocates 'People Initiated Referendums' I believe that this delicate issue should go to the people and be decided upon democratically. Whatever the outcome is I would abide by the wishes of the majority. Every person has a different view so let a fair vote decide. "
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:
"As answered in the previous question. This is my own personal opinion but there should be a referendum that the people decide the outcome of."
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:
"Student rates of pay are terrible. No one should have to do the same job as other colleagues for less money. DDI would investigate how everyone could have a basic guaranteed income. "
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:
"Everyone who is going to work and is willing to work should be given a suitable hours. Zero hour contracts are a scourge on the certainty of being able to provide adequately for your family. There are huge Multi Nationals operating in this country that have 90% of non managerial staff on a zero hour"
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 certainty will be demanded by DDI officials. With the governments failure to stem this, more and more families are getting locked into Homeless services. The current rent caps are not fit for purpose and with the hands off approach we are seeing today, this situation is only going to worsen."
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:
"As Enda Kenny FG said in 1994 "It is both immoral and unjust to tax a persons home". The difference is though, DDI believe that it is and will be looking for a total abolition of LPT."
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:
"Everyone is entitled to a home, regardless of colour, race or creed. If correct unbiased vetting is used, then there would not be a problem. Understandably, if you disrupt neighbours lives then you should not be given priority. "
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:
"If there has to be a slight increase in taxes in order to achieve the goal of our young, elderly, sick and disabled people being given a proper form of healthcare then why not ? If it means that there are more Ambulances, Paramedics and Nurses available, especially in Rural areas then absolutely."
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:
"If the state did more to cover the cost of childcare then this would automatically mean that single parents, or stay at home mums/dads could go back to work and contribute back into the economy by earning a wage. This would be beneficial to all, including the children in their standard of living."
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
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
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:
"When the Homeless situation has been radically reduced among Irish people then we should be able to determine how high a number of refugees we can take. It is important that we accept refugees and vary accordingly to our current situation on how efficiently we are handling our own crisis."
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
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:
"Windfarms are only 30% ( Approx) efficient . They are being put here by private contractors for foreign export for which we receive no benefit. They are only here for generation to the UK or Europe as our government are lax with planning matters if it benefits them, not us. Wave Technology is key!"
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:
"The United States, the worlds biggest polluter did not sign up to the Kyoto Agreement on Greenhouse gases yet pollute our atmosphere while we are under stringent targets. Planting more trees instead of building wind farms would remove more CO2 from the air, returning it back as oxygen five fold ."
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:
"Once again as a member of Direct Democracy, the choice of answers above are not adequate, so I chose the one closest to our ideals of direct governance from the people."
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:
"The DDI will return the provisions and practices of Citizen initiated referenda in Ireland, via National Referendum and to enshrine this inalienable right in the current Constitution. This will be done through restoring and modernising Articles 47 and 48 from the 1922 Constitution."
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:
"Serial rapists/ Child molesters, serial burglars, murderers and attackers of the elderly should be dealt with more severely, but people should not be getting put in jail for trivial matters such as TV Licences etc. There must be a greater number of rural Garda stations as this would be a deterrent."
22 of 22 questions