Local elections 2014

biko · 08-03-2014 1:33pm #1

With local elections in May, what questions will you be asking canvassers when they come calling to your door?
This thread is intended to raise the issues that are important to you and yours, so local candidates can take notice.
Boards.ie will be getting in touch with as many candidates as we can, and the aim will be for them to come onto Boards to explain their policies, and to answer the questions posted in this thread.

When that time comes we aim to use separate threads for the candidates so that those threads can be answer and policy specific. This thread is for questions/concerns only.

snubbleste · 08-03-2014 1:43pm

Are you only running as a stepping stone to national politics?
You have very little power as a councillor, how do you envisage you can effect change?

Mrs OBumble · 08-03-2014 2:21pm

During the recent storms, should the Celtic Explorer/Voyager have been in port, or out in the bay?

Cheshire Cat · 08-03-2014 3:40pm

Do you support the proposed live streaming of council meetings?

fergiesfolly · 08-03-2014 4:57pm

Do you think that councillors should live in the ward they represent?
Where do you live?
Do you find it interesting that incumbents seeking re-election only seem to appear on the ground, in their wards, only a few weeks before the election?

ErnieBert · 09-03-2014 1:18am

Do you read from the altar at your local church? If so, when did you start? Or did you only start doing this after you declared to stand in the election so that people may recognise you?

ErnieBert · 09-03-2014 1:19am

Do you live permanently in the area you intend to represent? How long have you lived at your current address?

EDIT: Just spotted post from fergiesfolly above which is similar to my post.

I know of one candidate who will fall on his sword on this one

ErnieBert · 09-03-2014 1:23am

What political party do you represent?
Have you ever been a member of another political party?

jjpep · 09-03-2014 9:58am

Where do you stand on corruption? What do you consider to be corrupt practice at local political level? How are you funding your campaign?

Iwannahurl · 09-03-2014 1:57pm

Since Councillors have only limited authority, in the form of Reserved Functions such as the adoption of the annual budget and the making of byelaws, and nearly all the power lies in the hands of unelected officials who make most of the Executive decisions regarding day-to-day operations, what exactly are we voting for?

Is local politics mainly a popularity contest, or do you see a place for leadership? If the latter, where do you intend to take the lead?

If elected, are you going to be a Councillor for the whole city and the greater good, or will you be influenced mainly by local votes and vested interests?

Will you be contactable by the citizens of this city? Will you hold clinics, answer phone calls, reply to emails and respond to letters? If you take a prominent role, such as Chairing one of the numerous committees, will you actually hold meetings and publish the proceedings?

chad!! · 10-03-2014 8:02pm

What is your stance on crony-ism?
What made you decide to put yourself forward for the upcoming elections?
If party associated, why did you become a member of that party, and do you agree with everything in their manifesto(if you have read it), if not would you publicly disagree with them?
If elected would you focus solely on issues in your constituency or would you be willing to voice your opinions regionally or perhaps nationally?

jmapell · 11-03-2014 4:56pm

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Do you think that councillors should live in the ward they represent?
Where do you live? ....

I can think of at least one candidate running in the west ward who should consider running for the County Council instead of the City one!

As for questions on the door step I want to know how the council intends to deal with what can only be described as ludicrous delays on innumerable projects across the city. Surely some of these could be expedited.

And what about repairing the prom/diving board area? The summer is fast approaching and it's one of our principle tourist attractions.

Mrs OBumble · 11-03-2014 5:53pm

Should Leisureland be repaired?

jmapell · 11-03-2014 9:02pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Should Leisureland be repaired?

I reckon so. Galway has 3 Swimming Clubs with a massive number of young swimmers who now have nowhere to train and are competing with members in paid gyms around the city, with smaller pools, for lane time.

Should Leisureland be revitalised and rejuvenated into a better community facility rather than just repaired might be the question that needs to be asked.

biko · 11-03-2014 10:48pm

This is not a discussion thread (and by that I mean we're posing questions for candidates and not to ourselves).
There is now a Leisureland thread, please use that for discussion.

Edward9 · 12-03-2014 3:18pm

Well I will ask What can you do for me and How much are you getting paid

Fey! · 14-03-2014 5:56pm

Do you agree with local politicians having to give up their council seats before being allowed stand for a national level seat in a general election / European election / similar higher level position, instead of having the council seat to fall back on? Obviously if you are seeking a TD position, you will not be concentrating on the position into which you were originally elected on the council, so the opportunity of a seat on the council should be there for someone with a genuine local interest to fill. I'm looking at several local councillors on that one!

Do you feel that you should be an example to others in your locality? eg if you are a cyclist, use lights, if you are a dog owner, clean up their droppings, etc.

How do you propose improving local policing?

How do you propose improving local infrastructure?

What are the top three reasons for you running for office?

If a member of the public emails/phones/writes to you/ask you in person about an issue, will you reply to them in a timely manner?

Sorry about the long list of questions.

buzz11 · 15-03-2014 4:13pm

Are all your tax affairs up to date? (do you have a tax clearance cert to prove this?)

phelixoflaherty · 17-03-2014 11:30am

Will they still be concerned about the planned Bus corridor in merlin woods?

gordongekko · 20-03-2014 11:53am

How many properties do you or your immediately family own. And how many of these properties are in receipt of a government funded payment

MadYaker · 25-03-2014 6:27pm

buzz11 wrote: »

Are all your tax affairs up to date? (do you have a tax clearance cert to prove this?)

I fail to see how that is any of your business to be honest?

jjpep · 25-03-2014 9:58pm

MadYaker wrote: »

I fail to see how that is any of your business to be honest?

Pretty much everyone who does any contract work for any state or semi state (and a good few private companies too) has to produce one to get the job. One of the reasons generally given is that they don't want to employ someone to do a job that they may get delayed in doing if they end up having to engage with revenue if their books aren't in order.

snubbleste · 31-03-2014 2:06pm

From 2015, the Council will be able to vary the property tax rate by +-15%.
Will you vote for an increase in property tax during your five year tenure? Yes or No will suffice.

Iwannahurl · 31-03-2014 3:51pm

Would you support an easing of the rates burden on local businesses?

Would you support the dedication of a proportion of LPT and rates to local improvement schemes that would benefit communities and create a more conducive urban environment that would attract more people to use shops and services?

snubbleste · 05-04-2014 5:40pm

Do you endorse the Council spending €150k to upgrade the Council chamber to accommodate three new seats?

jkforde · 08-04-2014 5:47am

public infrastructure like playgrounds are shamefully underfunded and under-maintained - will you campaign for an increase in capital AND maintenance funds for the City's playgrounds, including proper security monitoring to prevent people from abusing the playgrounds at night-time for drinking and smoking (rant: using children's playgrounds for drinking and smoking and then dumping broken glass bottles & fag butts and vandalizing infants' toys is just plain low)

Iwannahurl · 08-04-2014 10:01am

Question for current and potential Councillors: would you support a policy mandating the provision of an adequate number of secure and properly maintained playgrounds in all residential areas?

Mrs OBumble · 09-04-2014 6:19pm

Given the clear evidence that they are effective (http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/3/266.full), do you support installing more effective barriers at points where people commonly enter the water, in particular the bridges over the Corrib?

Ficheall · 15-04-2014 7:55am

Do you enjoy seeing other candidates' election posters stuck on lamp-posts all over the city, or having your letterbox stuffed with election material?

Iwannahurl · 15-04-2014 10:37am

Christian Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, recently stated that the reality of global warming “requires and requests that everyone accelerate and scale up efforts towards a low-carbon world and manage the risks of climate change in order to spare the planet and its people” from the worst impacts.

If elected, how will you help to ensure that all of Galway City Council's policies, programmes and projects are fully aligned with the "major institutional and technological change" needed to urgently address the challenges of climate change?

Bubosw · 16-04-2014 12:17am

Why, if you've a child with special needs you are means tested for carers allowance, once your carers benefit has run out... If you're over the means you get nothing. The extra expenses just eat and eat into your family budget so essentially all the children of a family over the threshold suffer. Maybe someone else can explain it better for me???

Local elections 2014

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