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Melanie Sheehan Cleary

Melanie Sheehan Cleary

Independent

Restore proper emergency department services to Limerick city and the wider Midwest, including the reopening of all closed emergency departments and to expand community care for the elderly. To work with any TDs willing to tackle the housing crisis.

  • Priority:

    Health: the upgrading of St John's hospital to a model 3 hospital to relieve the trolley crisis the restoration of all services in Limerick city

  • Priority: Housing

    More social and affordable housing across our City. More affordable student accommodation and more hostel beds for our homeless

  • Priority:

    Greater support for carers in the home who provide an invaluable annual saving to the state. Increase the domicilary care allowance to 18 years.

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: "The money for future projects should be used now to fix the crisis in health and housing. Limerick City has a collapsing health system. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
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Comment: "The USC charge was originally brought in for austerity in 2010 and should have been short term and is now outdated and needs to be abolished. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
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
Comment: "In my opinion, the best possible measure for this would be to create different brackets under these payments, to further include those who may be just out of reach. Families and the elderly should not be left in the dark here, and expanding these universal payments will create opportunities for all."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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: "While first time buyers deserve financial assistance from the government affordable homes needs to be made a priority."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
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
Comment: "A permanent freeze should have been introduced long ago. To make the market more affordable for renters, working class renters and students are being priced out of the market. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "We need more direct trains buses and routes from city to city. Public transport needs serious investment many people rely on public transport that don't drive we also need more local link."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

Transport
11 of 31 questions
The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Absolutely agree it's limiting our tourist industry. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

Environment, energy, agriculture
12 of 31 questions
Carbon taxes should continue to increase each year
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I do believe that corporations and large factories creating huge amounts of emissions should be taxed for it, but on the other hand, the singular person, who lives in an older home and relies on coal and carbon based products to heat their home, should not be excessively taxed."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "Ireland should be monitoring our water and testing to check for pollution we need safe water to drink, wash and cook. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "Farming in Ireland is so many families livelihood by futher restricting this you are restricting the amount of money they make in an already struggling sector. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "Even after repealment of the 8th, abortion is still restricted within Ireland. Those who fit the textbook allowance for an abortion struggle to find a hospital to preform the procedure and if a woman finds herself needing a termination after 12 weeks, the exception can be so difficult to get."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "As a female candidate myself I feel woman will not be equal until questions like this aren't a question. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "The Irish hate speech laws haven't been updated since 1989. As a country we have moved so far forward as far as diversity goes, so many people of different backgrounds call Ireland their home, we need to protect these vulnerable groups by making sure these laws are kept upto date to protect them."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "I believe parents should have freedom of choice weather their children take part in religion or religious ceremonies. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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: "Transgender people exist and by informing children (age appropriate) what that is and keeping them informed will help them understand more about themselves and classmates and friends. Gender diversity and ensuring kids understand the ever changing world can only do good."

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
Comment: "Far too often asylum seekers are coming from the worst conditions and need to be made welcome and also made feel like there's hope. All services for asylum seekers need to be overhauled their living conditions and the money they receive weekly. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
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
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: "Tougher policing is putting a plaster on the issue this stems from young people not having the right opportunities and by tackling the root cause which in most instances is poverty we can help lessen this behavior from the beginning. "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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
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
Comment: "Ireland is a neutral country "

- Melanie Sheehan Cleary

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

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