I will fight and campaign for increased services, for the children and families who are dealing with autism and special needs and who need great support on the ground.
Services for families dealing with autism and other special needs are completely neglected by the government and as a result children are being left undiagnosed for far too long. There is very little support for parents after diagnosis. I will fight to get the proper help, support and funding for Laois to help these families and their children.
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Housing
I will actively campaign for more investment in housing in Laois, particularly for those who are trying to get onto the property ladder or wishing to return home after spending years abroad. Laois needs a clear ambitious housing plan that is deliverable and where the houses are affordable with adequate access to services.
We need more investment in housing for Laois. This includes offering incentives for developers to build thousands of homes across the county. There are currently only six properties for rent in Laois, and there is a shortage of affordable homes for first time buyers.
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Cost of living
I will call the government to account in relation to the increased costs of energy, food and fuel which are contributing to a cost of living crisis.
Energy, food and fuel prices are astronomical – and rising. Because of these financial pressures, we are losing too many of our young, educated workforce. They simply cannot afford to live here. They feel they have no option but to go abroad for a better life. Ordinary people are struggling to keep up with everyday bills. Putting food on the table has become more difficult and all the while energy companies are making huge profits from these price hikes.
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IMMIGRATION
I will actively advocate for much stronger management of our immigration system, particularly for Portarlington and other Laois towns.
Our government has failed to adhere to existing legislation in relation to immigration laws that were put in place to ensure the safety and protection of the people of Ireland. As a result many of our local services are saturated. I will be calling for an immediate review of the existing immigration process, which is broken, unfair and inhumane. It is necessary to stop allowing additional illegal and welfare immigrants into the country until our immigration process is thoroughly reviewed and a workable, fair, and humane solution is established.
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MENTAL HEALTH
There is still a stigma around mental health in Ireland and I will work to raise awareness around the issue. I will also campaign to secure serious investment in mental health services.
According to research carried out by Maynooth University, National College of Ireland, and Trinity College Dublin in 2022 42% of Irish adults have a mental health disorder and more than one in ten have attempted suicide. Statistics like this are rarely talked about by government
Another shocking statistic is in relation to an Irish Times article published in 2023, there has been a 150% increase in antidepressant prescriptions to children under 15 over a ten year period. 15,113 children were prescribed antidepressants during 2023 alone.
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SMALL BUSINESSES
I will advocate for more engagement, support and investment to keep small businesses competitive, I will actively push for a reduction in the VAT rate.
As a business owner in Portarlington for over 16 years, I am completely in tune with the demands and stresses of keeping a business going during these tough economic times.
Poor decision making at government level has left many small business owners across Laois struggling to survive. Businesses continue to struggle with high energy costs while energy companies are making record breaking profits, this needs to be challenged.
The 13.5% VAT rate - raised from 9% last September - is putting significant pressure on the hospitality sector. This has caused 600 business closures nationally. I will fight for Laois’ tourism sector. (growth and investment)
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FARMING
I will work with the farming sector within Laois and campaign for them to remain sustainable and viable as a business sector. No farming, no food!
We need to stand up for the farmers of Laois. Our farming sector is hugely regulated by a “one shoe fits all” mentality from the EU which is not working for many Irish farmers.
Ireland has the best agricultural land in the world and we produce the highest quality beef found anywhere on the planet.
It makes no sense to force Irish farmers to cull the national herd by 200,000 for “climate action” only to then import poorer quality beef from Brazil. Our farmers know best how to farm their own land and they need to be involved in policy decisions that affect the running of their farms.
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education
I will advocate for more support for special needs children across schools in Laois. I will work to ensure that my home town of Portarlington gets the new secondary school it has been promised and I will put pressure on the Department of Education to fill all vacant teaching positions across Laois schools.
We need much-improved access to special needs support for children in schools. There is a chronic shortage of autism spectrum disorder units in primary and secondary schools across Laois. In January of 2024 the Laois Nationalist reported that there was a shortage of twelve ASD classes across a selection of Laois schools. Currently there are over 330 vacant teaching jobs across secondary schools in the Midlands.
As a past pupil of Colaiste Isoagain Portarlington I will work to ensure that the promised school is opened as quickly as possible.
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CRIME
I will be advocating for a greater garda presence within towns and communities in Co. Laois.
According to a recent article in Laois Live, In the first quarter of 2024, property crime in Laois rose by 17% from last year. People I speak to are telling me that they no longer feel safe in their towns or villages across Laois.
Most garda stations are not resourced adequately and we need more Gardaí and our main garda stations need to be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
