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Patricia Ryan

Patricia Ryan

Independent

  • Priority: Housing

    Kildare South has a massively underutilised social housing stock and too few cost rental and affordable purchase homes. This must be addressed.

  • Priority:

    We have a GP crisis in Kildare South, and hospital waiting lists that are too long. I will continue to fight for both of these to be resolved.

  • Priority: Crime and policing

    People deserve to feel safe in their homes and on the streets. We need a greater Garda presence in Kildare South to address rising anti-social issues.

These answers were provided by the candidate

Taxes and spending
1 of 31 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.
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I believe we do need to address issues like housing and healthcare now, and the money we have for future policy challenges should be considered a source of funding for contemporary crises, but I believe this should be scrutinised on a case by case basis. "

- Patricia Ryan

Taxes and spending
2 of 31 questions
Taxes on people earning over €100,000 a year should be increased.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I believe there should be a third tax bracket on those earning in excess of €100,000 a year."

- Patricia Ryan

Taxes and spending
3 of 31 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: "The USC was always intended to be a temporary tax measure. With the cost of living crisis I believe it gives an opportunity to put money back in people's pockets. It should be phased out over time, beginning with lower income workers."

- Patricia Ryan

Taxes and spending
4 of 31 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: "The increase in property prices to record levels means children inheriting property have massive tax bills or are forced to sell the family home. Rather than reducing the tax on inheritence, I believe we should look at increasing the threshold. "

- Patricia Ryan

Taxes and spending
5 of 31 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
Housing
6 of 31 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: "Many financial support for first-buyers are having an inflationary impact on the price of houses. "

- Patricia Ryan

Housing
7 of 31 questions
Planning guidelines should be relaxed to allow for more one-off rural housing
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "A targetted relax in planning should be introduced, rather than a blanket relaxation. "

- Patricia Ryan

Housing
8 of 31 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
Housing
9 of 31 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
Transport
10 of 31 questions
The provision of public transport (trains, light rail, buses) should be prioritised over building roads
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Transport
11 of 31 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Other measures, such development of regional airports should be implemented. "

- Patricia Ryan

Environment, energy, agriculture
12 of 31 questions
Carbon taxes should continue to increase each year
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Carbon taxes disproportionately impact the poorer of society and should not increase year on year. "

- Patricia Ryan

Environment, energy, agriculture
13 of 31 questions
Ireland should give up its exemption under the EU Nitrates directive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Environment, energy, agriculture
14 of 31 questions
The government should introduce measures to significantly reduce the extent of livestock farming in Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Environment, energy, agriculture
15 of 31 questions
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals should be allowed in Ireland, to improve security of supply
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
16 of 31 questions
Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances.
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
17 of 31 questions
Policies to increase the representation of women in politics have gone too far
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
18 of 31 questions
New laws on hate speech should be introduced to protect vulnerable communities
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
19 of 31 questions
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have too much power in Irish policy making
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
20 of 31 questions
Religious instruction should only take place outside school hours in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Social issues and education
21 of 31 questions
Gender diversity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish primary schools
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I think this issues should be taught in Irish schools, but should be waiting until secondary. Under age 12's should require consent from parents for issues such as these. "

- Patricia Ryan

Immigration and asylum
22 of 31 questions
More resources should be given to improving conditions for asylum seekers
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Immigration and asylum
23 of 31 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: "Areas with already stretched services such as primary care, transport and education should not be obliged to take large amounts of asylum seekers. "

- Patricia Ryan

Immigration and asylum
24 of 31 questions
Accommodation centres for asylum seekers should not be located in economically disadvantaged areas
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "They should not be located in those areas unless issues with deprived services, etc., are addressed first. "

- Patricia Ryan

Immigration and asylum
25 of 31 questions
Rules on immigrant work permits and student visas should become more restrictive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Crime and policing
26 of 31 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: "While we do need to tackle systemic issues, there are plenty of people in poverty who do not engage in anti-social behaviour. Garda resourcing is the best way to immediately tackle issues. "

- Patricia Ryan

Crime and policing
27 of 31 questions
Gardaí should take a more robust approach to dealing with political protests
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "People have a right to protest, however Garda should take a more robust approach to protests which turn violent. "

- Patricia Ryan

Foreign policy and defence
28 of 31 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
Foreign policy and defence
29 of 31 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Foreign policy and defence
30 of 31 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops abroad
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Foreign policy and defence
31 of 31 questions
Ireland should collaborate more with other EU member states on defence and security
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Irish unity
32 of 31 questions
A referendum on Irish unity should be held in the next five years
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion