Archive: 30th April 2024

A Creative City, A Liveable City, A Modern European City

30th April 2024

Speaking today at the launch of his Vision for Dublin, Labour’s European candidate Alex White said, “Dublin is a great city: diverse, open and tolerant. But there is also inequality, poor infrastructure and a lack of vision for the future. That needs to change.

“Decisions taken in the European Parliament over the next five years will impact greatly on our city and on the people who make it their home.

“This is a critical time for our city and for Europe as a whole.  I want to serve all the people of Dublin in the European Parliament upholding the values of respect, tolerance and equality.

“I have a clear vision for Dublin – where everyone has a secure home, where we cherish our precious environment, and where citizens have a real say in how their city develops. Europe has to play a part in realising this vision.”

Alex and supporters cycled from Sutton to Sandycove today to promote Alex’s Vision for Dublin.

The route tracks the long-delayed S2S route which would see a Dublin Bay walking and cycling greenway from Sutton to Sandycove.  Building accessible, safe walking and cycling routes across Dublin is just one aspect of Alex’s vision for Dublin which also includes:

  • Combating climate change through actions such as EU support for energy insulation of homes, schools and public buildings, eliminating single-use plastic and supporting a deposit scheme on plastic bottles.
  • Tackling inequalities and disadvantage with EU matching funding for building social homes and the renewal of EU anti-poverty programmes.
  • Protecting workers’ rights in the 21st century ‘gig economy’, banning the bogus self-employment scam, ensuring workers have the right to greater flexibility in working hours – particularly families with young children and those caring for relatives.
  • Promoting Dublin as a Creative City by campaigning for an EU wide minimum payment for creative work on tech streaming channels and utilising vacant spaces to showcase the work of artists throughout the city, along the lines of the ‘Meanwhile Spaces’ initiative.
  • Better governance and citizen engagement in planning our city’s future through a directly-elected Mayor for Dublin and by establishing Citizen Assemblies to input into areas such as transport, culture and food security.

Alex White was critical of Fine Gael for ignoring Dublin’s need for a directly-elected Mayor with power and the resources to back it up.

“Dublin needs a directly-elected Mayor, with responsibility for the whole metropolitan area, as in other European cities of comparable size and complexity.  However, the Government has ignored this vital reform.  On May 24th citizens of Limerick, Cork and Waterford get the opportunity to decide on this issue – but Dublin has been ignored.  It is absurd that the needs of the capital city have been dismissed.  Modern European cities need modern governance and Dublin’s need for reform can’t be sidelined.”

What is the point?

30th April 2024

“What is the point of it all anyway?” was the question posed by a woman in Kennington, Templeogue this afternoon. “Nothing ever changes”.

Politicians in search of a vote don’t readily look for an argument at the doorstep. But there are times when a point is hard to pass over. The woman was - is - very frustrated. She feels there is nothing anyone can do to change things - housing, the health service, she mentioned climate change too. I replied that we have to strive to make the changes we want to see. Even if it’s slow and frustrating (and from experience I can say it is both) we cannot give up on the promise of a better world. She wasn’t convinced. “Get rid of the whole lot of you - all parties” she argued, politely but indignantly. Then who would represent us, I asked, who would make the decisions about public services, taxation and the rest? She felt that there should be some kind of management system, but wouldn’t be drawn on how these managers would be chosen.

There is huge and widespread frustration about our politics and about decisions made by governments. The Children’s Hospital comes up a lot. I think it may be the lightning rod - or one of them - in these elections. But this only masks a deeper problem that goes to the heart of our democracy: trust, or its absence. How can we restore and rebuild trust in our politics and in our political system? We can replace completely our entire crop of politicians. In most elections nowadays we throw out the government. But the problems and the challenges that must be addressed don’t go away. The rallying cry of populists - on the left and the right - is to sweep away the “elites” in the interest of the people.  But then what? I don’t think I persuaded the woman in Kennington. She wants change. But it won’t come easily. And it certainly won’t come without politics.

Paul Gordon recording the race results at the Stillorgan-Mount Merrion Community Games.

Labour does local brilliantly. Today I worked with three of the best councillors Dublin has, and with our new candidate in Stillorgan, Paul Gordon. It was Portmarnock station with Brian McDonagh before breakfast; a great lunchtime and afternoon canvass with Pamela Kearns in Templeogue; the Stillorgan-Mount Merrion Community Games at teatime; rounded off by a canvass in Kimmage with Mary Freehill (led by the youthful Cormac O’Braonain, a rising star in the Labour Party).

Quote of the day: the man who praised Pamela by telling her that she knows her “parishioners” and “looks after them well”.

Spiritual as well as temporal welfare - that’s Labour for you.

25 days to go and … thank you Spain!

29th April 2024

The Spanish election brings great news: the success of Labour’s sister party, the PSOE. It’s a boost for our movement across the EU in advance of the European Parliament elections. Social democracy is very much alive in Europe. Of course our politics needs to address new challenges. As I said at our lively and successful Labour launch yesterday, people face new insecurities all over the world. Insecurities about the future of work, about housing in our cities, and most of all, insecurity as a result of climate change. I honestly believe that it is only through social democracy - a renewed social democracy - that we can effectively address these problems. That’s why it’s so great to see the result in Spain. It bodes well for Labour and for the whole constructive left.

Pedro Sanchez and Frans Timmermans

First thing this morning I attended an interesting breakfast briefing on IBEC’s European election manifesto (they have their “hustings on 13 May and I will be there). Mid-morning it was off to the Mansion House to take part in a really stimulating and informative candidate hustings organised by Inclusion Ireland. I gave my commitment to supporting their manifesto for people with intellectual disabilities. I will work hard in the European Parliament if I’m elected to help achieve their objectives - these include supports for community living, more action to eliminate discrimination, and strengthening accessibility measures.

We were competing with a street preacher at the top of Grafton St at lunchtime. He had the benefit of his PA system, but we managed to meet plenty of Dubliners and to hand out my well-received “Vision for Dublin”. In fairness one of my fellow candidates complimented me on it this morning! Just finished a teatime canvass now with Michael O’Sullivan, our candidate for Ballyfermot-Drimnagh in the local elections. Everyone knew Michael. He is a true Labour man - decent, hard-working, completely embedded in his community. He will be a terrific councillor for this area.

Highlight of the day: the lady on Walkinstown Road who when told I was Labour replied “yiz are down long enough now, it’s time ye were back”.