Name: Dean Mulligan
Age: 27
Preferred pronouns: he
Political Party: Independents4Change
Constituency: Dublin Fingal
Candidate’s stance on the issues that matter most to young people:
Climate Crisis
1.Real policies which will make the real polluters pay for our climate crisis. 2 Ring-fence funding for clean technology industries. 3 A “Just Transition” for workers in exposed industries. 4 A national retro-fitting campaign which will make all households more energy efficient while providing decent jobs for young workers
Reducing Homelessness
1. Increased funding for public housing, including public housing on public land. 2 A real cost rental model for Fingal. 3 Well planned communities with facilities and infrastructure in place in advance of construction. 4 Rent caps to protect tenants. 5 The establishment of a national home building agency to immediately construct 20,000 homes per year.
Mental Health Services
1. More investment in mental health services. 2. More funding for primary care centres. 3. A well funded one-tier national health service free for all based on need, not ability to pay. 4. Abolition of GP fees and prescription charges 5. Full implementation of Slainte Care which has been sidelined by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail
Education Funding, including Third-level Fees
1. Tackle the high costs of pre-school places by creating a national insurance company which will help providers lower costs 2. Increase funding for primary and post primary education schools 3. More non-denominational schools and places for children 4. Reduce class sizes from the highest in the EU to the lowest 5. Emphasis on early intervention services and funding for children with intellectual disabilities and special school provisions (including more SNAs). Finally eradicate third level fees.
Funding for Youth Work
Invest in community and voluntary sector, hold the minster of youth affairs accountable for the lack of service provision and funding cuts, which are integral as part of community supports for young people in their communities across.
Direct Provision
Immigrants have contributed enormously to the economy & diversity of the country. Irish people have made their homes all over the world so why should people be restricted coming here. Some of the facilities are an absolute scandal, they need to be overhaul and the asylum process speeded up to allow refugees and asylum seekers to work, study and integrate into society. Refugees and asylum seekers should be welcome everywhere. No area should be out of bounds but mistakes have been made by the Department in placing large facilities in isolated areas without services. The placements should be in line with the areas people are moving to in order to assist integration.
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