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Michael Leahy

Michael Leahy

Irish Freedom Party

I am committed to Freedom for the irish People- Freedom of speech. Freedom to hold on to more of the money which they earn. Freedom to determine our own laws and our future. I believe in a new birth of liberty and of freedom for the Irish people in the context of the reunification of this country

  • Priority: Immigration and asylum

    Uncontrolled migration threatens the stability of the nation. We will implement our opt- outs and bring this matter under control humanely.

  • Priority: Taxes and spending

    We will increase the number of tax bands to enable the workers to keep more of their money. Reduce CGT to 25%. Increase inheritance tax threshold.

  • Priority: Housing

    Take VAT off homes for first-time buyers. Double mortgage interest relief. Tax breaks to encourage our builders to return. Simplify planning.

These answers were provided by the candidate

Taxes and spending
1 of 32 questions
Money that is currently being saved for future policy challenges (such as climate change and an ageing population) should be spent now on things like housing and healthcare.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Spending money on climate change policies is likely to be a waste and should be devoted to protecting our ageing population and improving healthcare, early learning facilities and early interventions for children. We also need to improve our infrastructure to make adequate provision for housing."

- Michael Leahy
Taxes and spending
2 of 32 questions
Taxes on people earning over €100,000 a year should be increased.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Excessive taxation on high earners is likely to have limited impact as they will simply move elsewhere and we will not be able to attract the talent we need. We should move away from income tax and place greater emphasis on corporate tax and indirect taxes on non-essential goods and services."

- Michael Leahy
Taxes and spending
3 of 32 questions
The Universal Social Charge (USC) is a necessary source of revenue and should be kept.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "This is essentially an additional income tax that was introduced as an emergency measure. It should be abandoned. Taxation should be primarily based on the corporate sector and an indirect taxation on luxury goods and services."

- Michael Leahy
Taxes and spending
4 of 32 questions
Tax on inheritance should be reduced, even if it means cutting back on public spending or increasing other taxes.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Inheritance tax produces a very limited amount of revenue. However the very low threshold means that people cannot hold onto the wealth they have created and it becomes difficult for families to support members who wish to set up new businesses and employment creating enterprises."

- Michael Leahy
Taxes and spending
5 of 32 questions
Universal payments, such as child benefit and energy credits, should be replaced with more targeted measures aimed at the less well-off.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Other than for the very wealthy these are essential payments. Making them only available to the very less well-off effectively penalises those who may work harder for their larger incomes and would be a disincentive to self-improvement."

- Michael Leahy
Housing
6 of 32 questions
The government should focus on making houses more affordable rather than providing financial supports to first-time buyers.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The government should do both. Take VAT off housing for first-time buyers. It is important to facilitate purchase of houses so that we can again become a property owning democracy. First-time buyers should also be facilitated with direct grants. Reduce the tax take of the government on new houses."

- Michael Leahy
Housing
7 of 32 questions
Planning guidelines should be relaxed to allow for more one-off rural housing
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The reasons for prohibiting housing in the countryside were largely based on travel to work issues and potential for pollution of groundwater. Rural broadband, remote working and significant improvements in small water treatment systems have meant that neither of of these reasons continue to apply."

- Michael Leahy
Housing
8 of 32 questions
A rent freeze should be introduced across the country, even if it risks landlords leaving the market
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Rent freezes simply don't work and will close down the rental sector or enable all rental properties to be purchased by vulture funds which will eventually force rents upward. We must encourage the small landlord and encourage reduced rents by landlord tax breaks where rents are kept low."

- Michael Leahy
Housing
9 of 32 questions
The Local Property Tax should be scrapped, even if it means less money available for local councils
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "An alternative form of taxation for councils is necessary. This may be for example sales taxes within inner town areas, or payments for specific use of services."

- Michael Leahy
Transport
10 of 32 questions
The provision of public transport (trains, light rail, buses) should be prioritised over building roads
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland has a dispersed population the provision of an adequate road network is essential for many parts of the country, particularly in the county like Clare. It is wrong to give public transport priority in such a situation."

- Michael Leahy
Transport
11 of 32 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Dublin airport is in the wrong location and not suitable for expansion. This is a small country with its longest runway is in Shannon this should continue to be the main gateway particularly for transatlantic flights. Expedite the rail link to Shannon and Dublin will not need extra capacity."

- Michael Leahy
Environment, energy, agriculture
12 of 32 questions
Carbon taxes should continue to increase each year
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Carbon taxes are ideologically driven and while we should seek alternative energy sources, the rush to decarbonise will result in an impoverishment of and a deindustrialisation not just of Ireland but of all of Europe. This will lead to significant reduction in living standards, security and welfare"

- Michael Leahy
Environment, energy, agriculture
13 of 32 questions
Ireland should give up its exemption under the EU Nitrates directive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Provision of nitrate should be entirely dependent on existing water quality. Where water quality is good there is no need for reduction in nitrate level."

- Michael Leahy
Environment, energy, agriculture
14 of 32 questions
The government should introduce measures to significantly reduce the extent of livestock farming in Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Irish beef is among the best in the world and we would be shooting ourselves in the foot by agreeing to its elimination. There is no logical reason to eliminate beef from a diet or to reduce the cattle herd."

- Michael Leahy
Environment, energy, agriculture
15 of 32 questions
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals should be allowed in Ireland, to improve security of supply
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We must investigate all energy options including LNG."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
16 of 32 questions
Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Abortion is deliberate intentional taking of another human life and can never be acceptable."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
17 of 32 questions
Policies to increase the representation of women in politics have gone too far
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Penalising parties, particularly small parties, for gender imbalances is unjust and anti-democratic. There are differing roles for men and women in politics and society generally. Basing everything on a 50-50 balance is absurd."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
18 of 32 questions
New laws on hate speech should be introduced to protect vulnerable communities
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Without free-speech democracy ends. Without democracy rule of law ends. Without rule of law civilisation ends. Without civilisation the security of the individual ends. No safe society can exist without full free speech."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
19 of 32 questions
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have too much power in Irish policy making
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We have far too many NGOs and the great majority of them should be eliminated. They have far too much influence over government, over policy-making and over the lives of individuals. We will commit to a radical transformation of public expenditure on such organisations."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
20 of 32 questions
Religious instruction should only take place outside school hours in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Religious formation is an essential part of education and it is right for parents to be able to choose a school which gives a balanced religious formation for their children. We would be far better eliminating some of the ideologically propaganda in our schools than eliminating religion."

- Michael Leahy
Social issues and education
21 of 32 questions
Gender diversity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Frequently these matters are promoted by activist groups that are essentially promoting political ideologies. Parents should have final control over any such instruction in our schools. Many parents are deeply concerned about these issues in our schools and they are right to be so."

- Michael Leahy
Immigration and asylum
22 of 32 questions
More resources should be given to improving conditions for asylum seekers
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Irish immigration system is out of control. While genuine asylum seekers must be treated humanely we should not continue to accept people who arrive here from safe third countries without documentation. This may mean derogation from existing treaties. We are at crisis and this may be necessary."

- Michael Leahy
Immigration and asylum
23 of 32 questions
Communities should be obliged to take their fair share of asylum seekers, even if there is local opposition
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "There is no such thing as a "fair share" where our system is obviously being gamed. Communities are being undermined by being flooded by people who are often very hostile to our culture and way of life."

- Michael Leahy
Immigration and asylum
24 of 32 questions
Accommodation centres for asylum seekers should not be located in economically disadvantaged areas
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Accommodation centres for asylum seekers should be limited and it should be made clear that such asylum seekers are resident in this country for a short period of time only and until they can return to their own countries."

- Michael Leahy
Immigration and asylum
25 of 32 questions
Rules on immigrant work permits and student visas should become more restrictive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Our first priority must be to ensure that we can bring back our own diaspora rather in handing out work visas to foreign nationals. We must determine why so many Irish people are leaving this country and we must entice them back by providing tax breaks for them if necessary."

- Michael Leahy
Crime and policing
26 of 32 questions
The solution to anti-social behaviour lies in tackling poverty and disadvantage rather than tougher policing
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The solution lies in both. Poverty as such is not the issue so much as breakdown of family structure, though that is often of course related to poverty. There is a role for tough policing but there is also a role helping families to cope with their difficulties."

- Michael Leahy
Crime and policing
27 of 32 questions
Gardaí should take a more robust approach to dealing with political protests
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The gardaí are generally professional in their dealing with public protests which must be protected if democracy is to survive. The public order unit should never be used in such circumstances and should never be unleashed on a community which is protesting the imposition of asylum centres."

- Michael Leahy
Foreign policy and defence
28 of 32 questions
Ireland should continue to provide financial and political support to Ukraine in response to the ongoing war
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ukraine must be required to come to the terms of its neighbour. Offers of negotiation have continually been refused. A neutral country like Ireland can act as a facilitator between disputing parties but only if we develop our foreign policy independently of the European Union."

- Michael Leahy
Foreign policy and defence
29 of 32 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Turning one's back in the country which, with all its faults, is still a democracy will not promote long-term peace in the Middle East. Again, the role of neutral Ireland must be to act as a mediator, but it can only do so if it is seen by both sides as being genuinely independent and neutral."

- Michael Leahy
Foreign policy and defence
30 of 32 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops abroad
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland must be free to determine its own foreign policy. The triple lock is in fact only a single lock requiring UN sanction. After all, no country takes a position without the approval of its Parliament. UN sanction is often unreasonably withheld by those countries with a veto."

- Michael Leahy
Foreign policy and defence
31 of 32 questions
Ireland should collaborate more with other EU member states on defence and security
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland must remain neutral. In the wake of the Trump presidency and the possible withdrawal of the US from NATO pressure will come from the powerful states of Europe to militarise the European Union. Ireland's strategic interests are not served by such a move."

- Michael Leahy
Irish unity
32 of 32 questions
A referendum on Irish unity should be held in the next five years
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "It is time to bring forward a border poll but unity can only come about with a generous settlement made to the Protestant people of Northern Ireland. They must be guaranteed significant autonomy and protection of civil & religious liberty This requires significant change to our constitutional order."

- Michael Leahy

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