Local Election 24th May 2019 | Know Your Candidates

20 May 2019

(image source: Dublin Inquirer)

This week sees three important votes; the European election, the local elections and also the referendum on divorce.

This article is to give you some information on the candidates that are standing this time in the LOCAL election.

Before doing so, we would like to emphasise the importance of voting in this election.

The Clontarf Ward is made up of Clontarf and several surrounding areas - as can be seen on the attached map. In the last election in 2014, the polling booths in Clontarf recorded turnout figures amongst the highest in the country. And our councillors are well aware of how the turnout breaks right down to very small population areas.

So, it's incredibly important to vote and have your voice heard.

We've reached out to the various candidates and put three key questions to all of them. We gave them a word limit to stick to. We hope it gives you some help if you haven't already made up your mind.

The questions are:

1. If you are an existing Councillor, please let us know of any key achievements in the previous 5 years. 

2. What are the key issues that are most important to you and which you will advocate for if elected?

3. Please provide any other information that you think might be relevant

Damian O' Farrell (Ind)

  • Worked to bring a new Clontarf Promenade Flood Defence proposal to near public consultation stage. I initiated the original rally to save our Promenade and it is a project I would like to complete. 
  • Initiated ‘Adopt a Street’ with CRA and DCC.
  • Proposed amendments to the Dublin City Development Plan 2016–2022 to encourage cycling in the City.
  • Worked to ensure the completion of the Wooden Bridge to Causeway Road Cycleway. 
  • Watchdog for North Bull Island. Incl. proposed Discovery Centre
  • Secured funding for projects to enhance St Anne’s Park, Bull Island/Dollymount Beach, Clontarf Promenade and Fairview Park.
  • Supported funding for the purchase of a mini-bus for St Anthony’s House.
  • Intervened to support residents of the Bram Stoker Hotel, Homeless Hub.
  • Secured ‘Changing Places’ toilet facilities in all DCC new builds 
  • Organising committee member of recent ‘Darkness into Light’ walk in Clontarf.
  • Secured the position of a full-time overseer for DCC’s landscape contract work.
  • Secured funding to commence a ‘Clontarf Tidy Towns’ initiative.

Q2.

  • Continue my work on a Clontarf Promenade Flood Defence that will prevent flooding and protect our amenity. 
  • Continue to contribute to Dublin City’s Development Plan to protect Bull Island, St Anne’s Park, Clontarf Promenade and Fairview Park as well as further greening our city. Improve amenities at these locations.
  • Climate Action; securing technology and space that will allow DCC to improve its current recycling operational capacity (incl the recycling of ‘scrunchy’ plastic and certain black plastics). Also, introduce the ‘3 for the Sea’ (taking home 3 pieces of plastic) concept at Dollymount Beach.  
  • Use DCC’s Transport Strategic Policy Committee to implement the Dublin Cycling Plan, expand DublinBikes.ie, improve pedestrian/cyclist safety, improve road carriageway/footpath condition and improve public transport.
  • Use the Green Dog Walker Scheme effectively to help prevent dog litter. Provide more dog litter bins.    
  • Homelessness/provision of affordable housing/rent certainty       

Q3.

I am the only Independent Councillor in our area and have never been a member of any political party. I don’t accept any political donations – I work only for you. This is a local election and I very much concentrate my attention on local issues with a hands-on approach. I believe in active community participation and have over thirty years voluntary experience including; Samaritans, environmental groups, the credit union movement, the homeless sector and sports clubs. I will continue to support local charities, sports clubs and schools fundraising events. I was endorsed by the late Sean Dublin Bay Loftus for my environmental work.  Councillors develop a Dublin City Development Plan every six years. This plan sets out the policies and objectives for our city and of the 63 Councillors on the City Council I am one of the more prolific individual contributors.

Cathal Haughey (FF)

Q1. Not applicable

Q2.

  • As a candidate in the Local Elections, I promise that if elected, I will only raise local issues in the Dublin City Council chamber. In the past five years, Dublin City Council has been distracted by debates and motions on issues that have nothing to do with Local Government and should be left to Dáil Éireann. 
  • Some of the issues that I pledge to work on are:
  • Stricter fines for illegal dumping & dog fouling and increased litter and dog wardens. People need to be hit in the pocket if we are going to keep our community clean.
  • Traffic and Congestion issues. Anyone who lives in Clontarf and works in the city centre will know of the ridiculous amount of time it takes to make this commute.  People still drive because of bus frequency & capacity issues and the lack of segregated cycle lanes, and this needs to be addressed. 
  • Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly from teenagers who can quickly come and leave the area via public transport. 
  • Protection of our parks and green spaces, especially for local sports teams who often have to play away or cancel games because of a lack of green spaces.
  • A Council lead approach to the provision of social and affordable housing.

Q3. I am a first-time candidate in this election, having just finished studying politics DCU. I know the issues on the ground, having canvassed this area with my uncle, Sean Haughey TD for a number of years. I am an honest, decent and hardworking young guy, and I want to be a middle-man between the people of this area and Dublin City Council. We need to elect sensible people who will build consensus on D.C.C to make it as effective as possible for the Citizens of Dublin. 

Jeff Johnston (Fine Gael)

Q1. I am a first-time candidate running for Dublin City Council in these local elections. However, I was made a local area representative by Fine Gael for the Clontarf Ward in September 2017 and have worked hard in the locality since then. Since I am not an elected member of Dublin City Council, my work to date has been facilitated by other Fine Gael representatives. Electing me would give me the authority to work on local issues directly with Dublin City Council. My key achievements since that time have been:

  • Addressing the neglect by Dublin City Council of Bram Stoker (Marino Crescent) Park and securing major work by the Council on the park. This has enhanced the park and made a huge difference for residents in the area who can take pride in the park again.
  • Starting Pop Up Gaeltacht events in my local Clontarf GAA Club, which we hope to continue on a monthly basis going forward.
  • Supporting and donating to the I Love St. Anne's Campaign to defend and protect St. Anne's Park.
  • Confirming for residents that Dublin Bus would restore its bus shelter on Collins Avenue for users of the 14, bus service at stop 1194.
  • Addressing illegal dumping in St. Anne's Park with Dublin City Council

Q2.

  • Protecting and nurturing St. Anne's Park our parks and green spaces as local amenities such as St. Anne's Park, Bram Stoker (Marino Crescent) Park and Fairview Park.
  • Ensuring a flood defence solution for Clontarf that does not jeopardise tourism or the promenade, and that residents can get behind.
  • Supporting the provision of and access to social, quality and affordable housing
  • Climate Change Action from Government and Dublin City Council
  • Making our area accessible and inclusive for all, particularly people with disabilities and older people
  • Improving local infrastructure and public transport
  • Promoting the arts, culture, heritage agus an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn

Q3.  

  • Member and player with Clontarf GAA Club;
  • Raised on the Howth Road near Killester Village and the end of Castle Avenue;
  • Living on All Saints Road immediately beside St. Anne's Park;
  • Peace Commissioner;
  • Graduate of Economics from Trinity College, Dublin

Jane Horgan-Jones (Labour)

Q1.

  • Playing my part in resisting the attempts to destroy St Anne's Park.
  • Voting consistently to promote cycle-friendly infrastructure in Clontarf and across Dublin City.
  • Leading a successful petition to demand the City Manager allow a council vote on the final plans for the Clontarf Flood Defence proposals.
  • Leading Labour's local campaigns to deliver Marriage Equality and to Repeal the Eighth Amendment.
  • Working with residents to resist developer-led planning across Clontarf

There can be no greater priorities than housing and climate change. We need the City Council to lead on delivering state public and affordable housing on state land. This also means we don't allow developers to dictate planning policy. Ensuring St Anne's is further protected is essential in that regard. 

The Climate emergency demands that Councillors actually vote for cycle-friendly policies, not just talk about it. We also need to ensure the Council properly balance the need to protect the promenade as a public amenity with the obvious need for flood defence. 

Q3. Since I first became involved in politics in my college days, I have been passionate about the need to deliver progressive social change.

I have now represented our area on the Council for eight years.  My family home is in Clontarf and after years of renting locally, my husband and I recently bought our home together in Raheny. I am deeply committed to our shared local area, and living here over the decades has given me a clear understanding of the issues that are important to all of us.

Donna Cooney (GP)

Q1 

Q2. I stand for a local government that is responsive and well resourced to meet your needs and the needs of the community with real solutions for a cleaner, greener, healthier, more sustainable future for you, your family and your community. 

My priorities are: 

  • Protecting our beautiful natural and built heritage in Dublin Bay and in our parks. Providing enhanced public transport, with a well designed, safer cycling and walking environment. 
  • Making communities strong and resilient so we can meet the challenges of Climate Change. 
  • Providing solutions so we can have homes for all and a more equal society where the most vulnerable in our communities are protected. 
  • Giving people real opportunities to live happy healthy and connected lives. 
  • Securing access to all the services and amenities we need in our communities, from health and education to sports and culture. 
  • Safeguarding access to quality childcare and care for older people in our communities.

Q3. Coming 7th in six seat Clontarf 2014, I’ve continued working as Green representative. Community activist in Clontarf for 25 years and former Councillor. I planted and arranged planting of hundreds of trees in local schools. I campaign for Climate action both locally, nationally and globally. I had a number of public meetings and film nights on Climate Change, flooding and solutions with expert speakers including Duncan Stewart. Artist director of the Freedom Machine and Joyce-Cycle in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Arranging local Literary Cycling tours June, The Freedom Machine in Velo-city parade and Spokesong play by Stewart Parker with Rough Magic Theatre St. Annes Park June 26th. Speaker at Velo city Conference in Cycling and Gender. Campaigned with Save Our Seafront. Face-painting annual autumn fairs and volunteering at local community events. Elected officer and founder of Dublin Bay North Together for yes and now Choice and quality.

 

Deirdre Heney (FF)

Q1. Caring for Dementia in the community is a matter that is hugely important to me and in my capacity as Chair of the City Council's Economic Development and Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee, I succeeded in getting City Council management and Council colleagues to support a pilot 'Dementia Inclusive shopping' initiative in SuperValu Raheny, in an effort to both highlight the very difficult experiences people living with dementia and their carers experience, as well as trying to go some way make those experiences less painful. 

This year, I succeeded in getting City Council funding for St. Anthony's House, Clontarf, to purchase a minibus in order to enable the service to go out into the community and transport people to and from services provided in St. Anthony's parish/community centre.

I promoted the holding of, and chaired an Apprenticeship Summit in City Hall last year, bringing stakeholders from business, education and the State together in order to try and ensure that future apprentices would never again be denied the opportunity to complete their full apprenticeship training, as has happened in the past.

Q2.

  • Speaking up for and advocating on behalf of the vulnerable in our community
  • Protecting the amenities of our parks, including St. Anne's Park, Fairview Park, Rockfield Park, Maypark and other City Council parks.
  • Promoting safer cycle routes and expanding our city bike schemes
  • Protecting our beautiful resource that it Dublin Bay
  • Introducing a "use it or lose it" clause in planning legislation
  • Enhancing our villages, including Clontarf, Fairview, Killester, Raheny, Marino, Drumcondra, and Donnycarney
  • Promoting healthy lifestyles for the young and not so young by upgrading our recreational and sports facilities
  • Caring for dementia
  • The speed of climate change
  • Animal welfare in our city
  • Affordable private rents
  • Equality for women in sport

Ciaran O’ Moore (SF)

Q1. 

  • Discovered lead pipes disturbed by Irish water were contaminating drinking water 
  • Ran successful awareness campaigns, support clinics for affected residents and facilitated water testing. 
  • Lobbied for grant for the replacement of the lead pipes. Grant is now available. 

Accessibility

  • Making St Anne’s park more accessible with accessible toilets and accessible family picnic benches.
  • Successful grant  to support CY&BC to continue the outstanding work they do with disability groups 
  • Fundraisers for different charities including a sky dive for MS Ireland 

Green Communities: 

  • First elected representative to alert people of planned development at St Pauls College
  • Work with the “I Love St Anne’s Group” and the CRA in the campaign to preserve the park. 
  • Smaller projects to preserve different “Green Lungs” in our community. 
  • S2S requesting a Dublin Bike Station Terminal be installed in the Clontarf and Fairview.
  • Requested water fountains at St Anne’s Park and the Promenade to help reduce single-use plastic water bottles.

Q2. My focus for the next term is 

  • To continue to work on the need for social and affordable housing.
  • To continue my solid working in the disability area and advocacy support. 
  • To continue to work on issues such as the Clontarf flood defence, safe school zones, making our communities cleaner and safer. 

Q3. When I first got elected in 2014, the only promise I made was I would work hard for the Clontarf LEA and the people I represent. I have honoured this promise which is reflected in the fact that I am the only Dublin City Councillor in the Clontarf LEA that has a one hundred per cent attendances record at council meetings.   Dublin City Council website has all the information in relation to questions, motions, attendance, this is an excellent resource for explore so they can see the five-year history of the councillors. 

Naoise O’ Muiri (FG)

Q1.

  • I have been involved in a range of projects and initiatives in the last number of years - just some examples include:
  • Developing the Fairview to Amiens St Cycleway
  • Working with local groups on a Clontarf seafront defence that provides adequate protection for local residents while minimising the loss of amenity
  • Protection and enhancement of St Anne's Park
  • Building political support on Dublin City Council for Rapid Build housing
  • Tagging all Dublin City Council public waste bins so that they can be reported for emptying using your mobile phone
  • Oversight of the Poolbeg Waste-To-Energy project in my role as chair of the Environment Strategic Policy Committee
  • Moving Dublin City Council away from the use of synthetic weedkillers like Roundup
  • Supporting a move to area-based cleaning by the DCC street cleansing services
  • Countless other issues - road/footpath repairs, tree pruning, traffic calming/management measures, parking issues, public lighting repair and renewal.

 Q.2

  • Making Dublin a top European city for clean air
  • Continued protection and enhancement of St Anne's Park
  • Completion of the Fairview to Amiens St cycleway; implementing the "missing link" from Amiens St to the Liffey; finally getting the Liffey
  • Cycle Route agreed and built
  • Getting agreement on an acceptable flood defence for the Clontarf seafront
  • A step change in the enforcement regime around dog-fouling to deal with persistent offenders
  • Pilot school safety zones in our area to ensure children can arrive safely for the school day and depart safely when its time for home
  • Affordable apartments - DCC needs to look at building affordable apartment schemes on its own lands
  • A new area plan for the Richmond Road to encompass traffic management, provision of better cycling and walking facilities and improved public amenities/river access

Q. 3 I have worked hard to represent local concerns at Dublin City Council

level.  My approach to issues is to find acceptable solutions - this requires a mature, focused and experienced attitude which I bring to my role as a local Councillor.  I am well recognised in City Council as someone people can work with and get things done. As an experienced local politician, I am asking for your No. 1 vote on the 24th of May so I can continue working hard for you.

Bernard Mulvany  (PBP)

Q1. I’m a first-time candidate 

Q2.

Housing is one of the biggest issues on the door people want assurance we won’t sell off more public land to private developers and it is something I would be passionate about. We need a state program of affordable and public homes for people to create communities, places that our children can afford and lead by the councils.

Another local issue that keeps cropping up on the doors is dog fouling, as full-time carer and father of a daughter who is a full-time wheelchair user this is a major issue for our family. We need environmentally friendly bags and council bins located in the main dog walking areas and a system that educates people to the good practice of cleaning up after their dog fouls. 

 

Q3.

  • Myself and my daughter have been involved in multiple fundraisers for Temple St a place very close to our hearts. We were invited to speak on the late late show on our experiences.
  • I was the first to campaign for the retention of our local bus service, collecting over 1500 signatures to retain the 123 bus a vital service for our community.
  • My family and I raised funds so Temple St could buy their very first children’s commode, something that was badly needed. 
  • Last summer I was involved in the first carers week in the CRC. A week to give carers a well-needed distraction from the 24hr care they provide. I will be involved in again this summer. 
  • I campaigned for years for the Ratification of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities only to have it ratified without the most important point so I will continue to fight for their rights. 

Note: Answers are displayed in the order in which candidates responded to us. 

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