Open Question for Potential Candidates

tbh

Mods, hope this is ok.

I was reading a thread in the Kilkenny forum which had contributions from two local candidates. I was just wondering, if there are any potential candidates from any of the wards in Dublin North reading boards if maybe they'd like to field a question or two from us.

I have a general question. A lot of candidates have been talking about improvements that they would implement if elected/re-elected. Assuming that there is a fixed pot of money allocated to each council, and following from that that if new initiatives were to be introduced, money would have to be allocated for existing schemes, what are your priorities when it comes to divvying up the pot?

For example, if you have a choice between funding playing pitches for school children or an extra shift for a fire service, which would you pick?

A lot of politicians on the doorsteps have been talking about bringing in all these ideas that we all know are common sense anyway. I'd be interested to know a little bit more about the priorities different candidates have so that, if difficult decisions have to be made, the person I vote for would make the same kind of decision I would.

Alan Farrell

tbh wrote: »

if there are any potential candidates from any of the wards in Dublin North reading boards if maybe they'd like to field a question or two from us.

Sure.

tbh wrote: »

I have a general question. A lot of candidates have been talking about improvements that they would implement if elected/re-elected. Assuming that there is a fixed pot of money allocated to each council, and following from that that if new initiatives were to be introduced, money would have to be allocated for existing schemes, what are your priorities when it comes to divvying up the pot?

Well, for starters the pot size varies. This year for instance, the Government deducted €70 million from Council accounts. This deduction has forced us to rethink where we spend money. The review is due to be completed in September. The majority of my "priorities" for my Ward (Howth/Malahide) have been suspended until then. Most large scale projects have therefore been suspended right across the council's departments.

tbh wrote: »

For example, if you have a choice between funding playing pitches for school children or an extra shift for a fire service, which would you pick?

The payment to Dublin City Council* (who fund the fire brigade) is unaffected by the budget cuts. (* that's from memory)

Also, you'll find that playing pitches for schools are in their grounds, therefore the Department of Education are responsible. If you mean in the schools vicinity then I can't imagine that there would be an issue with providing the pitch. It takes about two years to allow play on a soccer/gaa/rugby pitch after it as been seeded.

tbh wrote: »

A lot of politicians on the doorsteps have been talking about bringing in all these ideas that we all know are common sense anyway. I'd be interested to know a little bit more about the priorities different candidates have so that, if difficult decisions have to be made, the person I vote for would make the same kind of decision I would.

My main priority is to ensure that my area, Howth/Malahide continues to receive its fair share of funding from both the council and central government. My area is losing two councillors and with just five remaining after June 5th versus the 19 from the other two areas it will be difficult to retain this share. I believe that experience and a track record of hard work are absolutely necessary.

tbh

thanks a million for replying Alan. The fire engines/playing fields was more an example than a specific question. I'm really trying to get a handle on where parties are coming from with respect to their overall viewpoints.

Maybe if I phrase it like this - lets say the Government decide to cut more money from the councils pot. Where would Fine Gael look at implementing cuts? i.e. are there some services that Fine Gael would say: These have to be paid for no matter what happens, and if we have to raise taxes (in Government) or cut back on other areas, we'll do it. If so, what are those services?

Wishbone Ash

Alan Farrell wrote: »

My main priority is to ensure that my area, Howth/Malahide continues to receive its fair share of funding

Surely you mean that your priority is to ensure that your area receives as much funding as possible? Would you decline funding if you thought that you were getting more than your fair share?

Annecdotally, it would appear that towns like Malahide and Skerries attract more than their fair share of funds in comparision to other towns like Rush and Balbriggan.

By the way, where are the politicians? My wife is itching for a fight but they (particularly the FFers) seem to be avoiding people on the doorstep but merely putting their stuff through the letterbox.

Alan Farrell

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Surely you mean that your priority is to ensure that your area receives as much funding as possible? Would you decline funding if you thought that you were getting more than your fair share?

Annecdotally, it would appear that towns like Malahide and Skerries attract more than their fair share of funds in comparision to other towns like Rush and Balbriggan.

By the way, where are the politicians? My wife is itching for a fight but they (particularly the FFers) seem to be avoiding people on the doorstep but merely putting their stuff through the letterbox.

I might turn down monies if we couldn't spend it during the course of a year but its not happened in my five year term.

You'll find that towns with pay & display tend to have more cash than those without as the Councillors tend to fight to keep it within the town.

Pm me your address and I'll make sure that either myself of one of my colleagues calls to your door at your convenience.

Alan Farrell

tbh wrote: »

thanks a million for replying Alan. The fire engines/playing fields was more an example than a specific question. I'm really trying to get a handle on where parties are coming from with respect to their overall viewpoints.

Maybe if I phrase it like this - lets say the Government decide to cut more money from the councils pot. Where would Fine Gael look at implementing cuts? i.e. are there some services that Fine Gael would say: These have to be paid for no matter what happens, and if we have to raise taxes (in Government) or cut back on other areas, we'll do it. If so, what are those services?

Well, councils are slightly different from government in that the finance department of the council would inform each department that a % of money is being withdrawn. The department head would then inform Councillors of the reduction and would ask us (sometimes) to specify our priorities. Where possible we would agree which should be dropped.

As my area committee is 3 Fg, 2 Green, 1 ff, 1 lab we tend not to have arguments as we almost control the voting. Over the years, this has led to general consensus on most items. Basically I'm saying we would make collective decisions. This doesn't happen in others areas and political party jostling ensues.

If you put a gun to my head and asked what projects I would cut in favour of others, I would probably say cut the Water & Drainage projects in favour of Roads, footpaths & public spaces as these tend to be the ones that people notice the most. I would also cut the €7 million project from Malahide castle and spend it on the community hall project in Kinsealy/Swords, an upgrade to the Water/Foul sewerage system in the village and improve the road service on Harbour Road Howth, The Mall, Malahide, Speed bumps for the Onward area of Portmarnock and one on Kinsealy Lane. I'd also insist that two FAI mini pitches with basketball hoops are added to Malahide & Millenium Park, Baldoyle. If I had anything left over, I would try to build a community clubs hall in Baldoyle (millenium park).

I believe that local rates will be introduced this christmas. They were abolished by FF in 1977 (before my time!) and have strangled the ability of local councillors to provide real, tangiable services to their communities. This introduction would result in a reduction in national taxation, I hope.

I would also immediatley reduce rates payable by businesses to the council by 2% today and a further 1% in September if we continue to slide. I would freeze rates thereafter at December 2007 levels for the next five years.

I would ensure that the Fingal County Enterprise Board is allowed to use its budget to support local businesses with employment grants to the tune of €7,500 each PA. As a director of this board, it would give me great pleasure in knowing that I could give a company money, knowing they would take someone off the dole and give them a fair wage.

I would also reintroduce the Community Employment or CE scheme right across the board. Take unemployed people and use their expertise three days a week to bolster the supply of community services.

I could go on all morning!

tbh

Thanks Alan, appreciate that.

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

By the way, where are the politicians? My wife is itching for a fight but they (particularly the FFers) seem to be avoiding people on the doorstep but merely putting their stuff through the letterbox.

Alan Farrell wrote: »

Pm me your address and I'll make sure that either myself of one of my colleagues calls to your door at your convenience.

Thanks Alan - I gave her your message but she says that she'll hold off for the weekend as she's expecting Stephen O'Connell and Dermot Murray.

(I wouldn't mind but she's a FF supporter and knows Stephen personally! I'd hate to think what she say to them otherwise. )

Sizzler

Alan Farrell wrote: »

I might turn down monies if we couldn't spend it during the course of a year but its not happened in my five year term.

You'll find that towns with pay & display tend to have more cash than those without as the Councillors tend to fight to keep it within the town.

Pm me your address and I'll make sure that either myself of one of my colleagues calls to your door at your convenience.

Hi Alan

Fair play for coming on here to answer some questions. I can also relate to Wishbone Ash and have yet to see ONE candidate canvass our area.

A few questions spring to mind -

1 - You are FG, how closeley do you allign your own work to that of the parties policies and goals? Are you asking people to vote for you for you or because you are FG or a bit of both?

2 - Where do you stand on the annual bin charge introduced by the council last year?

3 - You have had a good run on the council over the last few years, what do you promise to do differently this time?

4 - You are running for FCC but yet you are emphasising the area where you are from / supporting, does this mean you arent bothered with anybody else from NCD if they arent from Howth or Malahide?

5 - Whats the biggest challenge to the council that needs to change over the next few years that the voting public arent happy about?

6 - If you have a look at the Politics forum you will see a lot of canvassers are clueless when challenged by householders when asked anything more difficult than their own name and dont really have any credible policies or MO to peddle to voters. Whats your views on that? How are you finding people on the doorsteps, when canvasssing?

These are just some of things Ive been itching to ask someone...if they were bothered to canvass !

Cheers.

Alan Farrell

Sizzler wrote: »

Hi Alan

Fair play for coming on here to answer some questions. I can also relate to Wishbone Ash and have yet to see ONE candidate canvass our area.

A few questions spring to mind -

A few?

Sizzler wrote: »

1 - You are FG, how closeley do you allign your own work to that of the parties policies and goals? Are you asking people to vote for you for you or because you are FG or a bit of both?

Frankly it depends on the issue but I would like to say for me rather than just because I am a member of FG. Local issues tend to have local solutions but there is no doubt that political ideals do factor in my decision making process.

Sizzler wrote: »

2 - Where do you stand on the annual bin charge introduced by the council last year?

I've addressed this a few time on boards but I'll briefly say that I think its a retrograde step. "Paying for what you throw away" was an excellent, industry leading concept. If government had given fingal €7m extra, it would not have been introduced.

Sizzler wrote: »

3 - You have had a good run on the council over the last few years, what do you promise to do differently this time?

Thank you, that's nice to hear. I don't propose to change anything. I work hard and I intend to continue to do so.

Sizzler wrote: »

4 - You are running for FCC but yet you are emphasising the area where you are from / supporting, does this mean you arent bothered with anybody else from NCD if they arent from Howth or Malahide?

Far from it, but the fact remains that people from Balbriggan, Swords and Dublin 15 can't vote for me only the people from the Howth/Malahide Ward. My emphasis would be on my area but I am always conscious of what's going on elsewhere. I'm a Fingal County Councillor, not a Howth/Malahide County Councillor.

Sizzler wrote: »

5 - Whats the biggest challenge to the council that needs to change over the next few years that the voting public arent happy about?

That's a tough one. I would imagine waste charges, provision of services such as roads, parks etc. My biggest bug bear would be management companies and provision of schooling. Its not the Council's responsibilty to manage or provide either, yet we are always the first ones blamed by the press and therefore the public. Give us the budget and we'll look after both.

Sizzler wrote: »

6 - If you have a look at the Politics forum you will see a lot of canvassers are clueless when challenged by householders when asked anything more difficult than their own name and dont really have any credible policies or MO to peddle to voters. Whats your views on that? How are you finding people on the doorsteps, when canvasssing?

Its probably true, but canvassers (rather than the candidate) are volunteers there to sell the candidate. Frankly I commend any person willing to put themself out there for someone else. Its often the case that my canvassers can't deal with an issue but they can either call me over or take a note. Its that simple really. No one knows everything.

The reception since I started back canvassing in Septmber (I go out every September for two months, two nights a week) has been exceptional. In that eight months its got even stronger. While I personally think that my running mate will reap that reward, there is no doubt that everyone except FF & the Greens will benefit greatly.

Sizzler

Thanks Alan, fair play.

You say the bin charge issue was a retrograde step, who pushed this through? Was it really a neccessity? Have the council been left with egg on their faces somewhat now that other providers have entered the market with a much lower pricepoint and arguably better service? Will the council try and make up that shortfall by raising their charges next year?

I wouldnt call myself a militant person by any means but when I saw the copious literature being forced upon me from FCC I was only too glad when a nice chap from Grenstar called to my hall door a few weeks after, was delighted to sign up, in fact I would go as far as to say if Greenstar were the same price as FCC I would give Greenstar the business to make a point of it.

Whenever theres a change in FCC's bin days / change in service provider or updates on bank holidays etc. we get a letter in the door addressed to "The Householder...." from FCC with details of the above. Now how many people do you think have swapped to Greenstar (et al) since last year but yet the council are wasting thousands of euro on fulfillment and collateral for people who dont need it or have asked for it. Its akin to junk mail. Is it any wonder theres budget deficits? Operational effectiveness starts in the council not with the resident trying to fund their ineffeciencies :rolleyes:

Alan Farrell

Sizzler wrote: »

Thanks Alan, fair play.

You say the bin charge issue was a retrograde step, who pushed this through? Was it really a neccessity? Have the council been left with egg on their faces somewhat now that other providers have entered the market with a much lower pricepoint and arguably better service? Will the council try and make up that shortfall by raising their charges next year?

I wouldnt call myself a militant person by any means but when I saw the copious literature being forced upon me from FCC I was only too glad when a nice chap from Grenstar called to my hall door a few weeks after, was delighted to sign up, in fact I would go as far as to say if Greenstar were the same price as FCC I would give Greenstar the business to make a point of it.

Whenever theres a change in FCC's bin days / change in service provider or updates on bank holidays etc. we get a letter in the door addressed to "The Householder...." from FCC with details of the above. Now how many people do you think have swapped to Greenstar (et al) since last year but yet the council are wasting thousands of euro on fulfillment and collateral for people who dont need it or have asked for it. Its akin to junk mail. Is it any wonder theres budget deficits? Operational effectiveness starts in the council not with the resident trying to fund their ineffeciencies :rolleyes:

Rather than laboriously go through my points of view, I will refer you to my previous posts on this matter on the Dublin North Forum of this website.

This issue, is no longer an issue. Nor is it an issue in eight months of calling to peoples doors or is it an issue for the 18,000 houses whom I have called not once, but twice to in that period.

lostexpectation

AF water charges yes/no

Sizzler

Alan Farrell wrote: »

Rather than laboriously go through my points of view, I will refer you to my previous posts on this matter on the Dublin North Forum of this website.

This issue, is no longer an issue. Nor is it an issue in eight months of calling to peoples doors or is it an issue for the 18,000 houses whom I have called not once, but twice to in that period.

OK, I'll have a look at your previous posts on the subject, dont expect you to repeat yourself.

I'm surprised to say the least thats its not an issue, perhaps Howth & Malahide residents see this as pocket change and wouldnt be bothered speaking up on the subject or theres more pressing issues for them for their area etc. which is fair enough.

I'd love to know that the top 3 issues were for the 18,000 or so houses you have visited.

Sizzler

lostexpectation wrote: »

AF water charges yes/no

No doubt no, but they'll still worm their way through :rolleyes:

Alan Farrell

lostexpectation wrote: »

AF water charges yes/no

SW, They'll be in with or without my support. It'll be a governmental decision.

Sizzler wrote: »

OK, I'll have a look at your previous posts on the subject, dont expect you to repeat yourself.

I'm surprised to say the least thats its not an issue, perhaps Howth & Malahide residents see this as pocket change and wouldnt be bothered speaking up on the subject or theres more pressing issues for them for their area etc. which is fair enough.

I'd love to know that the top 3 issues were for the 18,000 or so houses you have visited.

Not everyone in my ward is AB, perhaps they know that its not a decision that Councillors can actually influence despite others saying we can.

Having been out since September, I can tell you that the three most important issues coming up on the doors are as follows.

1. The Economy
2. The Economy
3. The Economy

Wishbone Ash

Sizzler wrote: »

I was only too glad when a nice chap from Grenstar called to my hall door a few weeks after, was delighted to sign up

Unlike FCC, the nice man from Greenstar is only interested in 'cherry-picking' profitable routes. If you lived down a narrow lane in the back end of Garristown, I somehow doubt that the nice man would be interested yet FCC would be obliged to provide a service. You have to compare like with like.

Sizzler wrote:

Whenever theres a change in FCC's bin days / change in service provider or updates on bank holidays etc. we get a letter in the door addressed to "The Householder...." from FCC with details of the above. Now how many people do you think have swapped to Greenstar (et al) since last year but yet the council are wasting thousands of euro on fulfillment and collateral for people who dont need it or have asked for it. Its akin to junk mail. Is it any wonder theres budget deficits? Operational effectiveness starts in the council not with the resident trying to fund their ineffeciencies :rolleyes:

It's probably cheaper to send it to all householders rather than assessing who is a customer and who isn't.

Bluetonic

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Annecdotally, it would appear that towns like Malahide and Skerries attract more than their fair share of funds in comparision to other towns like Rush and Balbriggan.

Whats the Fingal council spend on Skerries over Balbriggan then during the current electoral seat sitting.

Sizzler

Alan Farrell wrote: »

SW, They'll be in with or without my support. It'll be a governmental decision.



Not everyone in my ward is AB, perhaps they know that its not a decision that Councillors can actually influence despite others saying we can.

Having been out since September, I can tell you that the three most important issues coming up on the doors are as follows.

1. The Economy
2. The Economy
3. The Economy

You're a councillor, what do people expect you to do about the economy FFS. Even if you were a TD you couldnt do anything. People just letting off steam when you call

Interesting take on the water rates, will keep a close eye on that one. Pointless having council members if they dont have the power to veto extra burdens on households such as bin charges / water rates et al.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unlike FCC, the nice man from Greenstar is only interested in 'cherry-picking' profitable routes. If you lived down a narrow lane in the back end of Garristown, I somehow doubt that the nice man would be interested yet FCC would be obliged to provide a service. You have to compare like with like.

It's probably cheaper to send it to all householders rather than assessing who is a customer and who isn't.

I see what you mean about cherry picking but you cant expect someone who lives in a "mainstream" area to worry about everybody else when making a product choice. Something is put in front of me and I make a call on it. If a pint is €4 in Rush and €5.50 in Malahide would you feel bad about it? For me Greenstar was a better choice and in principal I dont agree with FCC levying this charge regardless of all the good stuff they have to do, like service rural areas and provide free lifts for OAP's unemployed etc.

As for the sending literature, fair comment to an extent but given they would (should) have a database of everybody that has paid the annual charge would it not be easier to run an extract from that? I'd certainly be worried if they didnt have that database to know who has paid and who hasn't etc.

Alan Farrell

Sizzler wrote: »

You're a councillor, what do people expect you to do about the economy FFS. Even if you were a TD you couldnt do anything. People just letting off steam when you call

I guess so, but still politicians do have a responsibility to listen, something more of "us" should do, particularly those in Leinster House!

Bluetonic

Bluetonic wrote: »

Whats the Fingal council spend on Skerries over Balbriggan then during the current electoral seat sitting.

Any further info on this WB?

Wishbone Ash

Bluetonic wrote: »

Any further info on this WB?

I've no figures but many people in Rush complain the Skerries gets an unfair share of spending compared to Rush, Lusk, Balbriggan.

meditraitor

Bluetonic wrote: »

Any further info on this WB?

Can you get the info? If so post it! It would save any nonsence mickey measuring posts.

tbh

Congratulatıons Alan.

Alan Farrell

tbh wrote: »

Congratulatıons Alan.

Thank you.