Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

Captain Havoc

With local elections in May, what questions will you ask canvassers when they come calling?

Caveat: this thread is for questions only. At a later stage Boards will try to arrange responses from local politicians.

We would like to start conversations within the community as to what local issues are affecting users across our Regional Forums. With everything from flooding to water charges and household tax, local issues are firmly in the spotlight, we would like to get site users chatting these issues.

We are going to try to engage with the regional candidates and hopefully run a number of Question & Answer sessions with them over the course of the campaign. It should provide some interesting conversation for the site.

Obviously we want to clamp down on candidates electioneering on the site. We are going to treat candidates in the same way as we would businesses; they can only post about themselves or their policies if they have a verified rep account. You will get your opportunity in due course.

As I enjoy political, religious and Roy Keane discussions as much as I enjoy having my eyes gouged out, I'm putting the thread rules in bold below.

1. Questions only.
2. No canvassing.
3. No slagging off politicians or their parties.
4. Mods may decide to create, change or abolish the rules at any time.

What are your plans to ensure the litter laws are enforced in order to seriously tackle dumping in the country and dog-fouling in the city?

Sky King

Not a question per se, but I would like to know a little bit more about the process which led to the implementation of the contentious new foot bridge - specifically the approval process for the design - if we could get some information there?

One councillor is on record in the local paper as saying 'what we got is not what we asked for' (or something to that effect).... it seems rather remarkable, and I would like to know if this is actually true

Further, if this IS true, I would like to know what is being done to remediate it. Any plans for a coat of matt black even?

Kirk Van Houten

To all candidates from all parties - please take back all your election literature.

Would like to ask someone about what they intend doing about the quality of water now that we are going to have to start paying for it. Have to use a water softner to stop the lime destroying our electrical appliances. Don't think anyone running for the local elections has any power over that so may not even bother asking.

countryliving

hello, well with all these candidates looking for our vote and so many election candidates - we have not had 1 caller on our door looking for a vote!
Waiting for them to call -
Would like to meet the candidates and see could they represent my needs properly.
Local issues that I would raise - local road repairs.

countryliving

A very good idea Captain Havoc to raise the topics with local election candidates

DerryRed

An explanation of how money collected via Property Taxes will be used for local services.

gorilla_ie

to be honest with candidates running for local government i like to find out what they have done for the areas in which they are looking to be elected from!! Being from the Callan area i have had calls from people that have had little or no history of doing anything for the local community! Its the candidates who I have heard doing their bit for the town during their terms in local office that I will consider!

Cabaal

A question for Conor Mac Liam of the Anti-Austerity Alliance,

Why do you and your party believe it is perfectly acceptable to ignore the "Litter Pollution Act 1997" and Kilkenny County Council regulations by putting your election posters up early around our beautiful county?

Given other candidates running for your party don't seem to be bothered and think they are above the law, please answer why do you think you are above the law, what makes you so special...do you see our anti littering laws as "unjust"??

Also if you think you are above this law, whats stopping you from thinking you are above so many other laws if you got elected?

kikel

Conor MacLiams posters are all over the place.

David Fitzgerald already some up as well. And he is on the council.

http://www.kilkennycity.ie/eng/Your_Council/Your_Councillors/

Dozen Wicked Words

Labour posters all up around Comer, so does that mean they can all put them up now?

Thetruthking

I'd simply ask then what will they do that will positively effect me

Formosa

The town is a mess of posters since yesterday, are there any candidates who haven't put any up?

Actually, where can I see a list of candidates (and number of available seats) for each local electoral district?

kikel

I'll be asking them to read this

http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Freiburg_IJST_BuehlerPucher.pdf

Three copies already printed and ready to go for the next few that call around.

(May get some batteries for the doorbell)

Thetruthking

kikel wrote: »

I'll be asking them to read this

http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Freiburg_IJST_BuehlerPucher.pdf

Three copies already printed and ready to go for the next few that call around.

(May get some batteries for the doorbell)

I don't get ya? We are not Germany? could you explain a bit more?

kikel

Thetruthking wrote: »

I don't get ya? We are not Germany? could you explain a bit more?

It's an interesting model that Kilkenny should be looking at. While not everything will suit Kilkenny it shows other options are available rather than bringing more traffic into the city. Our city can develop economically without bringing more traffic into the city.



In my opinion we really need a change in thinking with regard to how the city will be developed in the future. Current development are all about our of town development. We need to look at our core, our assets and develop those.

road_high

Shocked with the FF performance locally, the best in the country. It's truly amazing after how Kilkenny ( and the whole country later) suffered under FF.
Also, Marie Fitzpatrick loss a huge shock; I wouldn't be of the same politics but always had a huge admiration for that lady and the way she represented her locality and people. I believe the huge resources of the McGuinness machine helped squeeze her out.

Cabaal

I gota say I'm not shocked at all,
Alot of people see Independents as a wasted vote in alot of cases

The people that actually turn out to vote (older people), don't trust SF to run stuff for them and also likely have issues with the history of many of the SF party members so instead they'll basically vote for anyone known partys.

Of course one thing every candidate is guilty of is lies when it comes to election promises, they can't do half of what they claim they can do. This goes for every party. Esp those that campaign on council level and claim they'll stop the water tax....they can do no such thing and they know this.

DerryRed

road_high wrote: »

Shocked with the FF performance locally, the best in the country. It's truly amazing after how Kilkenny ( and the whole country later) suffered under FF.
Also, Marie Fitzpatrick loss a huge shock; I wouldn't be of the same politics but always had a huge admiration for that lady and the way she represented her locality and people. I believe the huge resources of the McGuinness machine helped squeeze her out.

In addition to the resources of McGuinness, I'd say the change in the electoral area and the Labour factor hit her hard

On another note, was out walking the dog this morning and a shocking number of cable ties either left on lamp posts or left lying beside them.

road_high

DerryRed wrote: »

In addition to the resources of McGuinness, I'd say the change in the electoral area and the Labour factor hit her hard

On another note, was out walking the dog this morning and a shocking number of cable ties either left on lamp posts or left lying beside them.

I seem to be one of the few repulsed by McGuinness and his FF machine. The rest of KK seem to think he's just wonderful. I see him as another FF hypocrite who oversaw all disasterous FF budgets, brought zilch to Kilkenny during the "boom" years; St. Lukes Hospital was ignored for everything, as was the Military Barracks. Apart from the M9 (pushed through by a Waterford Minister) there's little to show. Bertie hated McGuinness and as a result Kilkenny suffered.
I also despise his cynical vote buying exercise. I'd guess he spends anyything from €50-100k on his families campaigns and supporting his FF loyal circle. Posters everywhere, vans and a huge media campaign (Sue Nunn is in his pocket). It's such a shame people fall for this and I really think Marie was squeezed out being so close to them and could not compete in terms of resources which clearly work.

Owryan

I dont live in Kilkenny but have family there. The role john mcguinness and his family seem to play in people getting council houses is often understated.

I personally know of perhaps a dozen families that were housed through his intervention and he is often regarded as the person to "go to".

What does surprise me is the fact he gets votes in Carlow despite the destain he has shown to part of his constituency