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Barry O'Donovan

Barry O'Donovan

Rabharta

I hope that people will vote for change, for hope, for the future, not for empty promises of tax cuts and easy comfort which will disappear as soon as the country faces challenges, and not for hatred and a bogeyman enemy of anyone who is different.

  • Priority: Housing

    Private rental tenancies need to be secure and a no fault eviction ban needs to be put back in place.

  • Priority: Environment, energy, agriculture

    Some of the current windfall, e.g. Apple tax, needs to be invested via a wealth fund in state ownership of west coast offshore wind production

  • Priority: Immigration and asylum

    Improving the availability and affordability of housing, and addressing cost of living, are key to creating the mental space to welcome new arrivals

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: "Investing some of this money in long term projects will improve quality of life now, improve security into the future build resilience against future shocks"

- Barry O'Donovan
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
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
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 s are an inter generational wealth transfer and should be taxed to reduce inequality"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Universal child benefit is a net positive. Universal energy credits support high prices, effort should be targeted on those in need and on reducing prices generally"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Financial supports only drive up the overall market prices"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Planning should be focused on allowing one-off housing around towns and villages"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Accidental landlords can easily leave the market if desired, professional landlords should be based on reasonable rather than exploitative returns"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "LPT is one of the few taxes on wealth in the country. It should increase based on value, though deferral should be easily facilitated for those with low incomes."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Unfortunately in rural Ireland we have built houses where they cannot be supported by public transport but where possible public transport should be prioritised"

- Barry O'Donovan
Transport
11 of 32 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
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 regressive in many ways as they target those who cannot afford to reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon taxes could be useful but not in their current form"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Ireland should work towards farming practices which will allow us to give up the derogation."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Irelands livestock farming industry is geared towards the needs of factories rather than farmers or consumers"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "LNG is at best a stopgap which causes massive environmental issues at the source of the gas."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Reproductive health care is a personal and medical issue, not a social or political one."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Policies to improve gender balance have generally been performative rather than effective so far"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Existing hate speech legislation is not implemented so it is unclear what benefit further legislation will have"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "NGOs can represent communities and provide a balance to the interests of business or finance but engaged public participation is more important than expert representation"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Schools should be for academic education and social participation. Personal religous beliefs should be a personal matter"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Understanding of, and respect for, everyone in our communities should be appropriately supported throughout society. This question is just a dog-whistle towards intolerance."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "More resources are required to support all of those who are marginalised and dispossessed in our society, not just asylum seekers"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Asylum seekers will often have significant need of support services and as such should be housed in areas with the best availability of services rather than simply geographically distributed"

- Barry O'Donovan
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 centers for asylum seekers should be located where there are sufficient services to fully support them rather than in areas of existing disadvantage"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "If we wish to have a fair immigration system, we need fair rules on participation in the economy."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Anti-social behaviour is often rooted in deprivation, lack of opportunity or simple boredom. Policing and criminalisation will at best temporarily suppress the symptoms "

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Political protest is an essential part of democracy. An Garda should be addressing criminal and violent behaviour rather than simply suppressing dissent with the government"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Ireland should support Ukrainian civil society and Ukraines right to self determination "

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Israel has moved beyond self-defense to a position of aggression approaching genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. The EU and Ireland should make very clear that this is intolerable."

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "The 'triple lock' has served Ireland well, those who would change it should at least have to make a case via referendum, as has been stated by successive governments"

- Barry O'Donovan
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 could collaborate more closely if the EU position was closer to what should our own, militarily neutral, peacekeeping, decolonising and in opposition to military aggression or genocide"

- Barry O'Donovan
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: "Irish unity is unlikely to succeed without effective housing, healthcare, public transport, and social services."

- Barry O'Donovan

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