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Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

Zaph

The local elections are coming up on May 23rd. So with that in mind, what are the Dublin 15 issues important to you and that you would like to see the candidates address? Over the course of the campaign Boards is going to try to engage with local election candidates and run Q&A sessions with them, so this is your first chance to tell them what you'll be asking them should they call to your door.

Obviously there's potential for this thread to become contentious, so a couple of ground rules:

NO politician bashing - this isn't about slagging off X candidate or Y party, it's about getting proper discussion going on what issues face Dublin 15 and what the candidates can expect to be grilled on.

NO politicians - feel free to keep an eye on this thread, but you'll get your chance later. This thread is for your potential future constituents only.

Political affiliations - if you're going to be involved in campaigning for a candidate or in the organisation of any party/group's campaign, you must declare this in your first post in this thread.

CANDIDATES - CASTLEKNOCK WARD (* - outgoing councillor)

Fine Gael
* Eithne Loftus
Ted Leddy
Henry Minogue

Fianna Fáil
* Mags Murray
Edward MacManus
Jack Chambers

Anti-Austerity Alliance
* Matt Waine
Sandra Kavanagh

Sinn Féin
Natalie Treacy

Labour
* John Walsh

Green Party
Roderic O'Gorman

People Before Profit
Memet Uludag

Direct Democracy Ireland
Robert Long

Women of Ireland
Mary Martin

Independent
TJ Clare
Sean Lyons
Dermot Casey

CANDIDATES - MULHUDDART WARD (* - outgoing councillor)

Fine Gael
* Kieran Dennison
Maria McGrail
Philip O’Callaghan

Fianna Fáil
* David McGuinness
Margaret Richardson

Anti-Austerity Alliance
* Ruth Coppinger
Annette Hughes
Jimmy Keenan
Bernadette Rynne

Sinn Féin
Paul Donnelly
Edmond Lukusa

Labour
* Michael O’Donovan
* Mary McCamley

People Before Profit
Louise Bayliss

Independent
Lorna Nolan
Dermot Casey
Freddie Cooper

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truebluesac

I live in tyrrelstown ,

The first thing ill ask is who are you . What are your views and goals , and why do you want to be a counciller

The issues i will be raising will be
1) the provision for permanent school buildings
2) the provision of secondary schools in the immidate area
3) the planned take over by fingal versus management companies
4) area crime and garda presance

It may seem like interview questioning but that exactly what it is , they are applicants and we are all voting members of the company they want to join ;-)

The ones that stay and answer my questions without giving me the polical questioning merry go round answers will get my vote

ThisRegard

So for the current/outgoing lot, why did they deny the people of Dublin the choice of deciding if they want to elect a lord mayor for their city?

Larbre34

ThisRegard wrote: »

So for the current/outgoing lot, why did they deny the people of Dublin the choice of deciding if they want to elect a lord mayor for their city?

Self-preservation evidently and some sort of siege mentality of Fingal V rest of Dublin. However I blame Phil Hogan's department for framing the legislation in a way that a vote of just 16 Councillors out of the 140+ across the 4 Dublin authorities could kill a democratic plebiscite. I dont know why the Govt didnt do the plebiscite anyway, after all it was just going to ask Dubliners if they were favour, in principle, of a directly elected Mayor. The role itself could have been debated and defined before any actual election. Fingal Co Co made a very big mistake today and I expect those who voted it down to pay a price in May.

athtrasna

ThisRegard wrote: »

So for the current/outgoing lot, why did they deny the people of Dublin the choice of deciding if they want to elect a lord mayor for their city?

I have no issue with this, I don't feel that a city Mayor can fully understand the issues of Fingal. I also don't like the idea of voting for a plebiscite without knowing the wording or set up.

My big local issues are roads and maintenance of public areas (woods, parks and litter control). We live beside a wooded area and have been trying to get the council to cut huge branches overhanging the road for over 18 months now (the council own the wood, they took it over from the developer).

Gaspode

Candidates have never called to my door, so if one was lost enough to make their way to this isolated neck of the D15 woods I'd like to know where the hell they've been for the last 21 years!

ThisRegard

athtrasna wrote: »

I have no issue with this, I don't feel that a city Mayor can fully understand the issues of Fingal. I also don't like the idea of voting for a plebiscite without knowing the wording or set up.

I liked to have thought that the current crop of councillors trusted us enough to understand the plebiscite come voting time, after all they had no problem accepting we knew what we were doing when we voted them in.

My issue is not with having a mayor or not, but with not being given the opportunity to have a say if we should have one. It's a bit galling hearing some of them say they voted against putting it to the electorate as they thought the idea was undemocratic, could they be any more ironic?

athtrasna

ThisRegard wrote: »

I liked to have thought that the current crop of councillors trusted us enough to understand the plebiscite come voting time, after all they had no problem accepting we knew what we were doing when we voted them in.

My issue is not with having a mayor or not, but with not being given the opportunity to have a say if we should have one. It's a bit galling hearing some of them say they voted against putting it to the electorate as they thought the idea was undemocratic, could they be any more ironic?

They voted to allow a vote for a mayor for the city of Dublin, which I think is a better proposition. There also wasn't enough info about the role and powers of the greater Dublin Mayor for councillors to decide whether having a vote was worth the expense of a plebiscite. At a time when the numbers of councillors are increasing dramatically, adding another layer of bureaucracy over all the Dublin authorities does not sit well with me. If there was one Dublin council, have one Dublin Mayor. For now we have four councils, with varying issues.

ThisRegard

I know you're not naive enough to think one of the reasons they voted against it was because they were worried about the expense of holding one!

Zaph

athtrasna wrote: »

I have no issue with this, I don't feel that a city Mayor can fully understand the issues of Fingal.

The same could be argued about Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown or South County Dublin and they voted in favour. There aren't any issues in Fingal that are unique to the area, this was purely about self-preservation.

chucknorris

Zaph wrote: »

The same could be argued about Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown or South County Dublin and they voted in favour. There aren't any issues in Fingal that are unique to the area, this was purely about self-preservation.

Yep, the vote in the relevant councils was simply a vote to say yes or no to people having their say. The people that voted it down in Fingal basically made a decision to say - no, people won't get to decide if they want an elected mayor or not.

Regardless if people feel we should or should not have a directly elected mayor, that's another argument, but it's only fitting that the current and existing internally elected mayor of Fingal didn't want people to have a say on a directly elected mayor. Self preservation is all over this one.

Murt10

I ran a Labour candidate from my door the other night.

1. Further wage cuts tearing up a hard fought written agreement with the previous government, under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement, that there would be no further cuts.

2. Having to work additional hours for no extra pay.

3. The filleting the sick pay scheme. I have no problem with them tackling peolple who were abusing the system, but to treat everyone as if they were abusing it annoys me no end.

4. Cutting back on annual holidays.

5. Allowing the bankers to keep the pensions and benefits that they had accrued while they destroyed the Country. They even used tax payers money to recapitalise the banks so that the banks could in turn put the money into the retiring bankers pensions!!!

Labour will be waiting a long time before they get my vote again. FF should have been disbanded after the last election, with the mess they left the Country in and FG are not a party that cares about public servants.

Looks like Joe and SF may benefit from my vote

ThisRegard

In fairness, all of those points can be, and have been, applied to private sector workers for years. Don't want to get into another private vs public debate but I don't have any issue with any of those points.

AlanG

ThisRegard wrote: »

So for the current/outgoing lot, why did they deny the people of Dublin the choice of deciding if they want to elect a lord mayor for their city?

Up until Tuesday I agreed with you however I heard a very interesting piece on the Radio regarding Fingal and it changed my mind. Apparently Fingal is the only financially stable council, it has the least councillors per head of any council and before the council was established the areas of Fingal were completely ignored by the south city dominated local government.
Personally, having lived in both Dublin 15 and the Portmarnock / Malahide area I think Dublin 15 is underserved by Fingal. Facilities for parks, libraries and general maintenance in the costal areas are far better than D 15 so I can only imagine it would be worse again under a return to the old regime.

I can't find the radio report but there si some good info here: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fingal-councillors-have-no-love-for-dublin-dominance-1.1746408

ThisRegard

Yeah, I see the pros of not having a mayor, as I said earlier I'm not too greatly upset that we won't have a mayor for Dublin, but I suppose my hackles were raised by not been given the opportunity in having a say in it.

To be fair to Fingal, any dealings I've had with them have been positive, apart from the mad opening hours of the Coolmine Bring Centre.

ciaran76

I never really noticed the litter problem in Dublin 15 until recently.
I started jogging in Jan. and when jogging from Littlepace up to Tyrellstown and around back to Clonee the amount of rubbish being dumped in hedges and wasteland is unreal.

I know its not a game changer for most people but I will bring it up.

chucknorris

ciaran76 wrote: »

I never really noticed the litter problem in Dublin 15 until recently.
I started jogging in Jan. and when jogging from Littlepace up to Tyrellstown and around back to Clonee the amount of rubbish being dumped in hedges and wasteland is unreal.

I know its not a game changer for most people but I will bring it up.

I started to cycle to work in the last two months, and it's only because of it that I have noticed so much glass on the cycle tracks (which are a brilliant idea).

ciaran76

chucknorris wrote: »

I started to cycle to work in the last two months, and it's only because of it that I have noticed so much glass on the cycle tracks (which are a brilliant idea).

Yes I actually noticed a lot of glass too on the bike tracks.

I also think I have jogged by your brother a few times in Hartstown park but if it isn't him he has a double.

eviltwin

In 11 years living in Mulhuddart I have never had a TD or local election candidate call to my door to the best of my knowledge. I know that there are a few posters here from the area and wondering if they have had the same experience.

January

eviltwin wrote: »

In 11 years living in Mulhuddart I have never had a TD or local election candidate call to my door to the best of my knowledge. I know that there are a few posters here from the area and wondering if they have had the same experience.

Just the other day I had one of Paul donnellys crowd at the door, the man himself was floating around. Unfortunately he knocked at bedtime so I'd not much time to ask questions at all.

chucknorris

ciaran76 wrote: »

Yes I actually noticed a lot of glass too on the bike tracks.

I also think I have jogged by your brother a few times in Hartstown park but if it isn't him he has a double.

Which Brother? I live in Rusheeny, was it me?

eviltwin wrote: »

In 11 years living in Mulhuddart I have never had a TD or local election candidate call to my door to the best of my knowledge. I know that there are a few posters here from the area and wondering if they have had the same experience.

What part of Mulhuddart? I've been along with the bro in all parts of Mulhuddart in 09 and in 2011 (during both elections).

folan

Garda presence and the state of cycle paths in the area. theyre my big things in the local area.

ciaran76

chucknorris wrote: »

Which Brother? I live in Rusheeny, was it me?

Could have swore it was your brother last Sunday morning I seen.

chucknorris

ciaran76 wrote: »

Could have swore it was your brother last Sunday morning I seen.

Not sure, I have three brothers, but we were canvassing in Briarswood on Saturday , and that skirts parts of Hartstown park.

Larbre34

Why has the Ongar Link Road been let become a tip-head?

Spotted a bunch of litter the other day, then like when you see one ant and realise there are thousands, all I could see was litter all up and down the verges. Starting to look like a real kip.

chucknorris

I'm going to throw a little spoke in here before it is announced.

It looks like the by-election for Dublin West will be May 23rd.

It maybe called in late April.

On this occasion, I reckon candidates need to decide if they are running for one or the other. Council or Dail.
With the European elections also happening that day, the same names on multiple forms will cause a lot of annoyance and confusion.

The problem is that the by-election maybe called after the deadline for nominations and removal of nominations from the local election register of candidates, so people maybe on the LEA forms - but decide only to contest the by-election.

It could be a crazy day on the 23rd of May.

Turbulent Bill

Is the by-election not due to take place in the autumn, as sitting TDs in other areas might end up in Europe? Doesn't make sense to have different constituencies on different dates.

athtrasna

chucknorris wrote: »

I'm going to throw a little spoke in here before it is announced.

It looks like the by-election for Dublin West will be May 23rd.

It maybe called in late April.

On this occasion, I reckon candidates need to decide if they are running for one or the other. Council or Dail.

With the European elections also happening that day, the same names on multiple forms will cause a lot of annoyance and confusion.

The problem is that the by-election maybe called after the deadline for nominations and removal of nominations from the local election register of candidates, so people maybe on the LEA forms - but decide only to contest the by-election.

It could be a crazy day on the 23rd of May.

Absolutely!! Joe Higgins screwed Dublin West TWICE and I will not contemplate voting for anyone who stands in more than one election. I will vociferously urge other voters likewise.

It seems your brother has competition within the ranks if he does seek nomination and to be honest, I would be disgusted if he didn't get through. I am not a supporter of his party but feel the other name is only known in D15 for the actual name rather than for work on behalf of the electorate, which your brother has done tirelessly. If I can see it from Castleknock ward, even though he's in Mulhuddart, he's clearly working hard!

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

Is the by-election not due to take place in the autumn, as sitting TDs in other areas might end up in Europe? Doesn't make sense to have different constituencies on different dates.

No, following a court ruling, all bye-elections must now take place within three months of the seat becoming vacant.

Zaph

Did I see election posters up already on Mountview Road this evening, or are they just advertising a meeting or something?

January

I could have sworn that I saw election posters up around Mulhuddart too but couldn't be sure.

chucknorris

The posters you see up at the moment have notices mentioning bogus public meetings as a way to circumvent the litter laws, whereby an election poster can only go up on a poll 30 days prior to an election. But public notices are allowed and what happens is come April 23rd , those public notice stickers will be pealed off of the posters and boom - their posters are up.

Regarding the by-election for Patrick Nulty's seat, I am 99.9% sure the by-election will be called on the 30th of this month with a three week campaign to fill that seat.

@Athtrasna: You're correct. Some suitors feel it's their destiny to run in the by-election and it'll come down to 'one member - one vote' to decide who from the party gets the run. The question will soon be answered. Will it be a break from the past and the old network or will it be back to the usual shenanigans. Either way will reveal a lot.

PS: I promise no posters will be seen on a pole within your estate should he get the run