Find your match All Longford–Westmeath Candidates
Dave Smyth

Dave Smyth

People Before Profit-Solidarity

Dave is an electronic engineer. He's married to Barbara & they have 3 adult children. Dave is acutely aware of the real struggles facing young people as a direct result of failed FF & FG policies. Rents are out of control and buying a home is an impossibility for most. It doesn't have to be this way

  • Priority: Housing

    For 40+ years now, FF & FG have refused to build public housing in any meaningful numbers & instead use public money to line the pockets of landlords!

  • Priority: Transport

    Public transport is inadequate or non-existent. I plan to roll the Localink service out to every town and village, re-open rail links & add more stops

  • Priority: Foreign policy and defence

    We must sever diplomatic & economic ties with the rogue state of Israel & call out their apartheid regime for genocide. Retain neutrality & NO to NATO

These answers were provided by the candidate

Taxes and spending
1 of 32 questions
Money that is currently being saved for future policy challenges (such as climate change and an ageing population) should be spent now on things like housing and healthcare.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I do not agree with this choice. By taxing wealth properly, as well as the ongoing budget surpluses, it is possible to fix the housing and healthcare crises while also building a fund for future policy challenges."

- Dave Smyth
Taxes and spending
2 of 32 questions
Taxes on people earning over €100,000 a year should be increased.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "People earning over €100,000 should be taxed at a higher upper rate than anyone earning an income at the point of the upper rate. For example, someone on €44,000 pays the same rate of tax as someone on over €100,000. That's not fair."

- Dave Smyth
Taxes and spending
3 of 32 questions
The Universal Social Charge (USC) is a necessary source of revenue and should be kept.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We want to abolish the USC. We'd replace it with a wealth tax and a millionaires tax on people earning more than €100,000"

- Dave Smyth
Taxes and spending
4 of 32 questions
Tax on inheritance should be reduced, even if it means cutting back on public spending or increasing other taxes.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Cutting back on public spending or increasing other taxes on families wouldn't be necessary if we introduced a wealth tax"

- Dave Smyth
Taxes and spending
5 of 32 questions
Universal payments, such as child benefit and energy credits, should be replaced with more targeted measures aimed at the less well-off.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Doing this would mean creating a means test that could disadvantage many families Instead, we would keep universal benefits and make the wealthiest pay higher taxes."

- Dave Smyth
Housing
6 of 32 questions
The government should focus on making houses more affordable rather than providing financial supports to first-time buyers.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "If we build, at scale, quality social and affordable homes we will solve the housing crisis by a massive ramping up of supply and a resulting "market" adjustment which will make the private sector housing prices fall. So, we are for a public construction company as a solution across the board."

- Dave Smyth
Housing
7 of 32 questions
Planning guidelines should be relaxed to allow for more one-off rural housing
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We need a firm planning structure that works for our shared future. If anything about the planning process needs changing it should be to facilitate the roll out of a public housing building programme at scale across Ireland."

- Dave Smyth
Housing
8 of 32 questions
A rent freeze should be introduced across the country, even if it risks landlords leaving the market
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "FF & FG policy of relying on the private sector to deliver homes has resulted in a greed driven rise in rents beyond belief. The only motivator for a private landlord is profit, so they will rise rents when they feel they can. A rent freeze and rent caps are required in the private rental sector."

- Dave Smyth
Housing
9 of 32 questions
The Local Property Tax should be scrapped, even if it means less money available for local councils
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Fine Gael cut funding to local authorities and replaced this underfunding with the LPT. Taxing the family home is wrong, we say tax multi-millionaires instead by implementing a wealth tax and properly fund local government."

- Dave Smyth
Transport
10 of 32 questions
The provision of public transport (trains, light rail, buses) should be prioritised over building roads
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We want to introduce free and frequent public transport to dramatically reduce car dependency and end traffic chaos as well as lower emissions."

- Dave Smyth
Transport
11 of 32 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Aviation is a massive contributor to carbon emissions and the EU has resisted taxing aviation fuel allowing massive growth in this profit driven sector. We have to reduce emissions, not increase them!"

- Dave Smyth
Environment, energy, agriculture
12 of 32 questions
Carbon taxes should continue to increase each year
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Carbon taxes on ordinary people does not discourage car usage in the absence of a real alternative. We need free public transport instead and taxes on the big corporate polluters."

- Dave Smyth
Environment, energy, agriculture
13 of 32 questions
Ireland should give up its exemption under the EU Nitrates directive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Environment, energy, agriculture
14 of 32 questions
The government should introduce measures to significantly reduce the extent of livestock farming in Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "But we must ensure a fair and just transition, especially for small farmers and farming families."

- Dave Smyth
Environment, energy, agriculture
15 of 32 questions
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals should be allowed in Ireland, to improve security of supply
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We need to ban all LNG terminals and all future fossil fuel exploration."

- Dave Smyth
Social issues and education
16 of 32 questions
Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We need to get rid of the insulting 3 day waiting period, change the rules around fatal foetal abnormality and decriminalise the provision of abortion. The democratic decision of the people to repeal the 8th amendment must be fully respected and acted upon."

- Dave Smyth
Social issues and education
17 of 32 questions
Policies to increase the representation of women in politics have gone too far
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I welcome the targets for women candidates and my party will always strive to meet or exceed them"

- Dave Smyth
Social issues and education
18 of 32 questions
New laws on hate speech should be introduced to protect vulnerable communities
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We are against all forms of hate speech but there are problems with the way this legislation was drafted"

- Dave Smyth
Social issues and education
19 of 32 questions
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have too much power in Irish policy making
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Wrong! It's corporations, conglomerates and their lobbyists who have WAY too much power!"

- Dave Smyth
Social issues and education
20 of 32 questions
Religious instruction should only take place outside school hours in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comments:

"Our primary schools should not be run by nominees of the local bishop"

- People Before Profit-Solidarity

Social issues and education
21 of 32 questions
Gender diversity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Structured education is always best and in this age of technology, children deserve to learn about facts in a safe & trusted setting. People should not be put off by scare stories from those who, for example, never opposed the sexual abuse of children by priests!"

- Dave Smyth
Immigration and asylum
22 of 32 questions
More resources should be given to improving conditions for asylum seekers
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "It is a scandal that asylum seekers are forced to live in tents. We should open unused public buildings for both asylum seekers and our Irish homeless, immediately."

- Dave Smyth
Immigration and asylum
23 of 32 questions
Communities should be obliged to take their fair share of asylum seekers, even if there is local opposition
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I'm opposed to the agitators on the far-right who thrive on fear and hate without foundation. Under resourcing of local services in communities has been a feature of FF&FG rule for many decades. Blaming refugees is not the solution. Blame the ineptitude of FF&FG's failed policies instead."

- Dave Smyth
Immigration and asylum
24 of 32 questions
Accommodation centres for asylum seekers should not be located in economically disadvantaged areas
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Asylum seekers should be accommodated in appropriate accommodation regardless of location. The quality of the accommodation is the only criteria that should determine its use."

- Dave Smyth
Immigration and asylum
25 of 32 questions
Rules on immigrant work permits and student visas should become more restrictive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "They are already very restrictive. Ask health care staff who are campaigning for family re-unification. Ireland needs more workers to build houses and staff our services."

- Dave Smyth
Crime and policing
26 of 32 questions
The solution to anti-social behaviour lies in tackling poverty and disadvantage rather than tougher policing
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Precisely"

- Dave Smyth
Crime and policing
27 of 32 questions
Gardaí should take a more robust approach to dealing with political protests
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Gardaí treat far-right protests differently to those inspired by those of us on the left. For example, protesters at Rossport have been physically assaulted by cops while far-right thugs were allowed to block an airport!"

- Dave Smyth
Foreign policy and defence
28 of 32 questions
Ireland should continue to provide financial and political support to Ukraine in response to the ongoing war
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Western imperialist alliance is pouring in money that is prolonging this war. As a neutral country, Ireland should be a voice for peace."

- Dave Smyth
Foreign policy and defence
29 of 32 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland should unilaterally impose a boycott of Israel. We should sever all diplomatic and economic ties with Israel. The Central Bank should not be facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds either and we must stop Shannon being used by war machines bringing bombs to the Zionists."

- Dave Smyth
Foreign policy and defence
30 of 32 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops abroad
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We should not join in any new superpower conflicts. Removing the triple lock will mean more Irish soldiers in future wars."

- Dave Smyth
Foreign policy and defence
31 of 32 questions
Ireland should collaborate more with other EU member states on defence and security
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comments:

"We should remain neutral"

- People Before Profit-Solidarity

Irish unity
32 of 32 questions
A referendum on Irish unity should be held in the next five years
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comments:

"It is a basic democratic right."

- People Before Profit-Solidarity

By using our site, you agree to our use of one strictly necessary cookie. Learn more