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Mary Lou McDonald

Mary Lou McDonald

Sinn Féin

These answers were provided by the party

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 Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We have substantial infrastructural deficits in water, energy, transport, housing and health. It is prudent to save some of the substantial funds the State is accruing, but it is also prudent to invest in our housing stock, infrastructure, and public services. "

- Sinn Féin
Taxes and spending
2 of 32 questions
Taxes on people earning over €100,000 a year should be increased.
  • Agree Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin would introduce Solidarity Tax of 3% on individual incomes above €140,000 and remove tax credits on a tapered basis on individual incomes over €100,000."

- Sinn Féin
Taxes and spending
3 of 32 questions
The Universal Social Charge (USC) is a necessary source of revenue and should be kept.
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "This tax is a legacy of Fianna Fáil crashing the economy. Sinn Féin would abolish USC on the first €45,000 of every workers income. "

- Sinn Féin
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 Match with candidate
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin would maintain the current threshold of €335,000 for capital acquisitions tax."

- Sinn Féin
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 Your position
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Universal payments are very important and can complement targeted measures. Sinn Féin propose increasing Child Benefit and €450 worth of electricity credits this year."

- Sinn Féin
Housing
6 of 32 questions
The government should focus on making houses more affordable rather than providing financial supports to first-time buyers.
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin's priority is increasing the delivery of affordable homes. But we would also support first time buyers financially by exempting them from stamp duty and retaining a more targeted Help to Buy support while we ramp up affordable housing delivery."

- Sinn Féin
Housing
7 of 32 questions
Planning guidelines should be relaxed to allow for more one-off rural housing
  • Agree Candidate position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Your position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Planning reform is an important aspect of solving the housing crisis, both in urban and rural areas. Sinn Féin would increase resources to planning authorities to speed up decisions. "

- Sinn Féin
Housing
8 of 32 questions
A rent freeze should be introduced across the country, even if it risks landlords leaving the market
  • Agree Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "There needs to be a short-term freeze on rents while housing supply is increased substantially. Sinn Féin would freeze rents for three years. "

- Sinn Féin
Housing
9 of 32 questions
The Local Property Tax should be scrapped, even if it means less money available for local councils
  • Agree Candidate position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Your position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin propose abolishing LPT and replacing the monies lost with Exchequer funding for local councils."

- Sinn Féin
Transport
10 of 32 questions
The provision of public transport (trains, light rail, buses) should be prioritised over building roads
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The provision of public transport is vital to the green transition and to developing rural Ireland. We need better connectivity and capacity of public transport. This should be the priority, but maintenance and improvement of roads is extremely important also. "

- Sinn Féin
Transport
11 of 32 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree Candidate position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Your position
  • No opinion
Comment: "As an island, air travel is important to our economy and tourism sector. Capacity should be built up in our regional airports, but we should not limit Dublin airport’s potential. "

- Sinn Féin
Environment, energy, agriculture
12 of 32 questions
Carbon taxes should continue to increase each year
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin would revoke all further planned increases to carbon taxes because they simply punish ordinary people for whom the alternatives are unavailable and/or unaffordable. Instead we will extend the reduced rate of Excise Duty for petrol and diesel, bringing forward new proposals on energy use."

- Sinn Féin
Environment, energy, agriculture
13 of 32 questions
Ireland should give up its exemption under the EU Nitrates directive
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin in government will protect and improve our water sources and Ireland’s family farmers, including defending the Nitrates Derogation."

- Sinn Féin
Environment, energy, agriculture
14 of 32 questions
The government should introduce measures to significantly reduce the extent of livestock farming in Ireland
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin is committed to working with farmers in Ireland to tackle the challenges of climate change. We will ensure that farmers are assisted with taking action to meet environment and biodiversity targets"

- Sinn Féin
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 Candidate position
  • Disagree Your position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin is opposed to commercial LNG infrastructure resulting in fossil fuel lock-in. The state must ensure energy security. Transitioning to renewable energy must be the priority. "

- Sinn Féin
Social issues and education
16 of 32 questions
Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances.
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "The priority should be ensuring access to abortion is available for the range of circumstances currently legally provided for. That is what the public voted for in the 2018 referendum. "

- Sinn Féin
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 Match with candidate
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin would build incrementally on the gender quota in Dáil elections towards 50% and ensuring at least 30% of Ministers and Junior Ministers are female in line with gender quotas."

- Sinn Féin
Social issues and education
18 of 32 questions
New laws on hate speech should be introduced to protect vulnerable communities
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin oppose censorship. Freedom of speech and the right to protest are fundamental to democracy. Sinn Féin would not introduce hate speech legislation and we opposed the government’s bill which sought to silence public dissent and debate. "

- Sinn Féin
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 Candidate position
  • Disagree Your position
  • No opinion
Comment: "NGOs have a role to play in policy making but they are no substitute for elected representatives and community groups and some NGOs have shown themselves to be out of touch with the public and with the people they purport to represent."

- Sinn Féin
Social issues and education
20 of 32 questions
Religious instruction should only take place outside school hours in Irish primary schools
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "As republicans we advocate the separation of church and state. Parental choice is critical when it comes to the education of children. The transfer of patronages must be sped up to ensure the option of secular schools is available to more children."

- Sinn Féin
Social issues and education
21 of 32 questions
Gender diversity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish primary schools
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Primary school SPHE curriculum should simply focus on encouraging children to be kind and inclusive of others. "

- Sinn Féin
Immigration and asylum
22 of 32 questions
More resources should be given to improving conditions for asylum seekers
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Government must speed up decision making on IP applications. Welcome those that are deemed to be entitled to protection and ensure that those who are not are safely returned to their country of origin because our accommodation system is overwhelmed."

- Sinn Féin
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 Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree Candidate position
  • No opinion
Comment: "Accommodation should only be located in areas that have the capacity and resources necessary to support them."

- Sinn Féin
Immigration and asylum
24 of 32 questions
Accommodation centres for asylum seekers should not be located in economically disadvantaged areas
  • Agree Candidate position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Your position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "These centres should only be located in areas that have the capacity and resources necessary to support them."

- Sinn Féin
Immigration and asylum
25 of 32 questions
Rules on immigrant work permits and student visas should become more restrictive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree Your position
  • No opinion
Comment: "For those seeking international protection here, we do not advocate changing the rules on access to work. The current system of work permits and students visa should be reviewed to ensure it is fit for purpose."

- Sinn Féin
Crime and policing
26 of 32 questions
The solution to anti-social behaviour lies in tackling poverty and disadvantage rather than tougher policing
  • Agree Your position
  • Neither agree nor disagree Candidate position
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The solution to anti-social behaviour lies in both tackling poverty and disadvantage and better policing. Sinn Féin will invest in communities to reduce poverty and disadvantage and commence the largest garda recruitment drive in the history of the state."

- Sinn Féin
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 Match with candidate
  • No opinion
Comment: "The right to protest is fundamental to democracy. Gardaí should of course respond to violence and should be properly resourced to do so."

- Sinn Féin
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 Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine and calls for a coordinated and concerted effort by the international community to secure an end to the hostilities and build peace."

- Sinn Féin
Foreign policy and defence
29 of 32 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin supports the suspension of the EU-Israel Association agreement and other preferential arrangements with Israel for so long as that state continues to breach international law."

- Sinn Féin
Foreign policy and defence
30 of 32 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops abroad
  • Agree Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Sinn Féin in government will maintain the triple-lock neutrality protection and ensure that our neutrality is protected so that Ireland can continue to play an important and progressive role in international affairs."

- Sinn Féin
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 Match with candidate
  • No opinion
Comment: "There are areas where co-operation is necessary especially modern cyber and hybrid threats. Sinn Féin’s starting point is always what impact will it have on our neutrality. We advocate recognition of neutrals in the EU treaties."

- Sinn Féin
Irish unity
32 of 32 questions
A referendum on Irish unity should be held in the next five years
  • Agree Match with candidate
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "A border poll should be held before the end of this decade. It is imperative that planning for a United Ireland intensifies in advance of the referendum."

- Sinn Féin

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