Candidates hoping for Independents’ day

VOTERS in the Ballymun ward, which includes Finglas east, Whitehall, Santry, Glasnevin, Drumcondra and parts of Beaumont, have plenty of choice in the local elections on May 23 but the most diverse group of candidates are the independents.

There’s six in total, and with the mainstream parties struggling to pacify an angry constituency hit hard by cutbacks, property tax and water charges, they’ll have high hopes of taking seats in this seven seater.

Four of the independents got together earlier this month to officially launch their campaigns in a show of solidarity for the lone wolf candidate who has become an integral part of the political landscape both locally and nationally.

Here’s what some of them have to say for themselves.

Seán Tyrrell:

Aged just 21 Tyrrell, who was born and raised in the flats of Ballymun, is one of the youngest candidates on the ballot.

A former player with Ballymun Kickhams and now in his final year of a degree in Economics, Politics and Law in DCU, he believes the council has become

“out-dated with out-dated ideas

? and policies.

Tyrrell is vice chairperson of Ballymun Tidy Towns and volunteers with the Reco in Ballymun and the Network of Resident Advisers (NORA).

“I grew up on the building site of Ballymun watching people from the area and beyond try to build a life and a home for themselves, but always being given the

‘run around’ by successive councils and governments.

?

Tyrrell promises not to

‘double job’ if elected and will work toward reducing property tax and ensuring it’s invested back into the community.

Reducing commercial rates for local business and making councillors’ expenses more transparent and vouched are also amongst his aims.

Peter McDonnell

Retired Chief Medical Scientist Peter McDonnell has lived in Dublin 9 for over 40 years and says he’s

“very much aware of the issues affecting people in Drumcondra, Whitehall, Santry, Glasnevin and Ballymun

?.

He believes the upcoming local election will offer voters the opportunity to elect a new batch of councillors with fresh ideas to improve neighbourhoods in the area.

“We need fresh ideas and thinking,

? he said.

“This is your opportunity to improve your voice on an enlarged Dublin City Council. More of the same isn’t good enough – The Party System has let us down.

?

If elected, McDonnell wants to lobby for a better public transport system in Dublin 9 and 11 and the elimination of wasteful spending such as the estimated e225 million spent on shelved transport projects.

He’ll also fight for better traffic management and an increased Garda presence on the streets.

Cearúil Swords

Born and raised in Dublin, Swords has worked and studied abroad. He was a radio station manager before becoming an author, group facilitator and teacher.

Last year he published a book titled ‘What now? Life, the Leaving Cert and Planning your Next Steps’ to assist students in better understanding and managing the transition out of secondary education into the wider world.

“Strong, caring communities are built by the quality of our interactions with one another yet many of us spend little time with neighbours or the people living on the streets close to us,

? he says.

“This needs to change if we are going to tackle social ills and economic difficulties i.e. row back on the austerity measures and indirect taxes inflicted upon us.

?

Swords wants to create regular, varying events that will support the public to socialise and collaborate together. If elected he promises to defend rights to services and amenities and work on behalf of individuals and groups on specific issues.

Agnieszka Wieczorkowska

Wieczorkowska is a clinical psychologist and a HR Consultant and she’s the first Pole to run in the area. She lives with her family in Ballymun and works in Ballymun and the city centre. Her daughter learns in Corpus Christi GNS, Drumcondra, and her husband works as a software engineer. Professionally she is a clinical psychologist and a HR Consultant.

Wieczorkowska wants to bring to Dublin City Council the experience and perspective of a woman, mother and migrant. She’d like to help make a real difference to the lives of people with disabilities drawing from her own experiences.

She has been a social activist for many years with the Ballymun Intercultural Group and the Ballymun Active Disability Interest Group. Wieczorkowska has been encouraging fellow Poles to vote in the election through her involvement with the Forum Polonia campaign called

‘Vote. You are at home’.

She believes it’s time to

“listen to the voice of diversity

? and to find a space for different groups in political life and wants to represent all citizens, regardless of nationality and background. If elected she will campaign for safe, friendly playgrounds for children, cleaner parks and facilities for teenagers.