Local Elections 2024

I will be running again in the Local Elections (June 7th) in Lucan, North Clondalkin and Palmerstown. I will also hopefully be contesting the 2024/25 General Election in the wider Dublin Mid West constituency, whenever it is called,

 

Not canvassing until May 7th

While some unelected candidates and sitting Councillors are out canvassing already, my campaign has NOT started yet. I knock on doors as often as I can and have again been calling to residents regularly since Covid restrictions ended. I intend to continue calling to houses in April and the first week in May to discuss local issues and spend as long as required speaking with residents. I will also continue to make myself available in a variety of local cafés for anyone who wants drop in for a cuppa and a chat. Meetings can also be arranged at a mutually convenient time.

From around the 7th of May, my issues-based door knocking will change to a canvass seeking your No. 1 vote based on my record. This will need to be much faster. While I will gather any queries raised during this period I will have less time to chase them up during the campaign and will make no false promises for votes in this regard. From the end of April there will be NO local Area Committee meetings until September, so the raising of key issues will need to depend on the internal membersnet system, which again cannot guarantee answers to queries submitted in May given the 15 working day turnaround guidelines and unfortunate longer response times for some sections, especially those relating to housing and homelessness issues.

In 2014, Lucan, Palmerstown and North Clondalkin were in the one 8-seat Local Electoral Area. I was elected in this area originally so in the 2019 Local Elections, following constituency revisions, I decided to put my name forward in both the Lucan Electoral Area and the new Palmerstown Fonthill Electoral Area. The reasons for this were two-fold. Firstly, Lucan East of the R136 and all of North Clondalkin were moved to the new Palmerstown-Fonthill Electoral Area and I did not want residents in these areas, especially Lucan where I grew up and live in, and where much of my family are from, to think that I was neglecting them or no longer wanted to represent them. Secondly and equally importantly, I am from Palmerstown originally, having spent the first four years of my life on Wheatfield Road, and I also have strong multiple family ties to this community to the present day. Again, Palmerstown is intrinsic to who I am and I will always represent the area to the best of my ability, irrespective of borders.

The best way to let people know that you continue to represent them is to have your name on the ballot paper. And given that both Lucan and Palmerstown Fonthill LEAs are part of the one Lucan, Palmerstown, North Clondalkin Area Committee, I am in a position to represent people whichever LEA I am elected to.

However, recognising the great working relationship I have had with Cllr Guss O'Connell over the years, in 2019 I dropped a leaflet asking people in most of Palmerstown to vote Guss No. 1, to ensure that we maximise independent, environmentally-conscious and community-focused representatives on our Council. Again in the Palmerstown Area I will be seeking No. 1 votes for Guss in most of Palmerstown and also asking that anyone who votes for me normally in the village area votes Alan Hayes No.1. I will be asking for Gogarty No.1 votes throughout Lucan in either electoral area. Hopefully this strategy will ensure we maximise Independent candidates. The votes of progressive independents are important in areas like development plans where we want to protect the Liffey Valley amenity and also in Strategic Development Zone Reviews, like Adamstown and Clonburris, should any arise. This is important because in 2018, motions tabled by myself, Guss and Cllr Liona O'Toole to tie in housing provision with amenities like playing pitches and public transport infrastructure were VOTED down by Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, Ruth Nolan (now Sinn Féin) and in some cases PBP. If we had one or two more Councillors we would have sent a strong signal to An Bord Pleanala. Instead we have a deficit of facilities and amenities that have to be provided in the Clonburris plan and everything will be market-driven. Already the deficit of playing pitches is coming home to roost and schools will be the next challenge.

This is just one example of why people need to vote strategically, look at the records of individual candidates (and parties if applicable) and vote accordingly.