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Clare Daly

Clare Daly

Independents 4 Change

I believe in a peaceful, socially just Europe. I want a Europe of peace and plenty, not a Europe of war and austerity. An end to the genocide in Gaza. We need massive public investment to tackle the cost of living, housing and climate crises. And a genuinely Just Transition, not just lip service.

Priorities

  • Economic policy

    I oppose EU fiscal rules in the Economic Governance Framework which hamstring public investment in housing, public services & green transition

  • Environment

    Progress re Green Deal has ground to a halt. Nature Restoration Law and Sustainable Pesticide laws dead. We need at least 90% 2040 reduction target .

  • Defence

    The EU & Member States are spending billions on weapons, instead of investing in public services & fighting climate change.

These answers were provided by the candidate

EU integration
1 of 21 questions
European integration has gone too far
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Trade integration has benefited Ireland. But there have been major downsides- e.g. CFP has been catastrophic for Irish fishing, state aid rules hamstring public investment. EU began as a peace project, but is moving towards defence union. We cannot surrender neutrality in the name of 'integration'. "

- Clare Daly
EU enlargement
2 of 21 questions
It would be good if Ukraine joins the EU in the next five years
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Accession is a question for Ukrainians. But people should be aware what enlargement means. Council said 20% cut in CAP payments will be needed to allow for Ukrainian accession. Commission said enlargement will mean changes to unanimity voting, with big effect re Irish neutrality & corporation tax."

- Clare Daly
Economic policy
3 of 21 questions
Corporation tax rates should be fully harmonised across the EU
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Economic policy
4 of 21 questions
The EU budget should be increased, even if this means wealthy countries paying more
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "EU is spending more and more on arms, 'security' & militarism. We don't need more money being sent to the EU for it to spend on arms, high-tech surveillance, border walls etc.. We do need massive public investment in housing, public services & climate action. "

- Clare Daly
Commission President
5 of 21 questions
Ursula von der Leyen should receive a second term as Commission President
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I have consistently criticised her for her stance on Gaza and repeatedly called for her to resign. I jointly initiated a motion of no confidence in her in the Parliament and was one of the first voices highlighting her repeated & dangerous overstepping of the limits of her role within the EU."

- Clare Daly
Defence
6 of 21 questions
EU member states, including Ireland, should collaborate more on defence and security
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland's neutrality is extremely important to the majority of the Irish public. People all over the world respect it and hold it up as an example. It is something to be proud of, not to be ashamed of. Ireland has nothing to gain from further defence integration, and everything to lose. "

- Clare Daly
Defence
7 of 21 questions
The EU should have a common army
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Defence
8 of 21 questions
The EU should finance more weapons for Ukraine
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The West has consistently set itself against a workable diplomatic path for Ukraine, and condemned Ukraine to fighting an unwinnable war instead of helping it with diplomacy. More weapons will not help Ukraine to 'win' a secure, peaceful future. Only diplomacy can do that. "

- Clare Daly
Defence
9 of 21 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Foreign policy
10 of 21 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The EU should have suspended the EU-Israel Association agreement months ago. We also need an immediate arms embargo - Ireland's exports to Israel of dual-use goods increased sevenfold between 2022 and 2023. That is grotesque. Why are we still allowing US military transits through Shannon to Israel? "

- Clare Daly
Foreign policy
11 of 21 questions
Each member state should have a veto on EU foreign policy
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Every state has the right to decide the framework and limits of its relations with other states. Every state has different priorities, different concerns, and must be allowed to set its own direction in regard to the world beyond its borders. "

- Clare Daly
Immigration
12 of 21 questions
Ireland should participate in the EU’s new migration pact
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Immigration
13 of 21 questions
Member states should share responsibility for asylum applications in the EU
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "It's not a matter of 'sharing responsibility', it's a matter of sane policies. If a parent is living in Ireland & their child is in Greece, that child must be allowed seek asylum in Ireland, rather than being condemned to months or years in a Greek detention camp before they can reunite with family."

- Clare Daly
Immigration
14 of 21 questions
The EU should operate search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "It's boggling that this is even a question. You cannot be horrified by what's happening in Gaza and stand over letting people drown at Europe's borders because European countries won't give them access to visas and work permits to come work in the EU legally. "

- Clare Daly
Immigration
15 of 21 questions
Ireland needs to do more to ensure asylum applicants have suitable accommodation
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland needs to do more to ensure everyone in Ireland has suitable accommodation, rather than letting the Government off the hook now it's found a convenient scapegoat for its decades of failure in this regard. "

- Clare Daly
Immigration
16 of 21 questions
There should be checkpoints at the border with Northern Ireland to limit the number of asylum seekers coming to Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Environment
17 of 21 questions
The EU’s Nature Restoration Law, requiring rewetting of peatlands, should be adopted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Restoration does not mean taking land out of production. The text now specifically states that any rewetting of agriculturally drained peatlands will be voluntary for farmers. That wording comes from my colleague Mick Wallace, one of only 7 negotiators from the Parliament on the legislation. "

- Clare Daly
Environment
18 of 21 questions
The EU’s goal of a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is too ambitious
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "55% by 2030 is too low. According to the IPCC, to avoid climate breakdown, we need to cut global emissions in half by 2030 and get to zero before 2050. But this is a global average target. Given its greater responsibility for historical emissions and capacity to act, the EU can and should do more."

- Clare Daly
Environment
19 of 21 questions
More windfarms (including onshore windfarms) should be built in Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We urgently need to decarbonise our economies to stay below 1.5c. We can be energy independent with renewables. But I would like to see energy communities promoted - e.g. planning for renewable energy projects is only granted if the local community have option to buy 30% or more of the development."

- Clare Daly
Agriculture
20 of 21 questions
Ireland should continue to seek special treatment for Irish farmers on the Nitrates (water quality) directive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Directive is about water quality and part of the Water Framework Directive, so if water quality is good enough then the derogation should stay in place. Of course Ireland such try to retain it. But the Nitrates Action Plan must improve water quality or the current kg/h will be lowered again."

- Clare Daly
Agriculture
21 of 21 questions
The EU should reduce subsidies for high-emissions farming, such as beef and dairy
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Irish agricultural emissions need to be cut and the sector has a carbon budget in Irish law. But farmers need to be incentivised to diversify. Farm diversification is key. But it must be voluntary. Without a Just Transition there will be no transition at all."

- Clare Daly