Test – Eoin Hayes

Eoin giving a speech at his selection convention in July at the Tara Buildings in Dublin, smiling at the photographer.

Let’s get to work!

I’m committed to addressing the pressing issues facing Dublin Bay South. My priority is to create a city and country where we all enjoy a standard of life comparable to other modern European cities.

Deliver Homes for People, Not Funds

Home ownership is now at an all-time low. A lack of affordable housing is devastating families, renters, and increasingly older people living at home. We face shortages of teachers, healthcare workers, and Gardaí. Even big companies in Dublin are struggling to recruit highly-paid staff.

I believe the approach to housing by this government has failed too many, and we in the Social Democrats have a different plan to:

End the domination of ‘luxury-only’ build-to-rent construction in Dublin city and the relentless speculative profiteering in housing at the expense of communities

Unleash the State’s capacity to build tens of thousands of genuinely affordable homes every year and reduce homelessness with social housing

Bring empty homes and lands back into use by increasing the vacant homes tax and dereliction levies

Infrastructure and a City for the 21st Century

We must be more ambitious for our country for the 21st century. If my party is in the next government, I’m committing to:

Ensuring a safe city for all: Increase community policing, combating rising racism, anti-semitism and islamophobia, tackling antisocial behaviour in a meaningful way

Create a €5 billion climate transformation fund aimed at making Ireland energy-independent in the next decade and fully-funding a flood defence strategy for Dublin’s coastline

Accelerate investment in rail and metro services, including a South west Metrolink through Harold’s Cross and Terenure as part of an expanded Dublin rail network to the airport

Eoin and his constituents and campaign team in a park, with folks sitting on picnic blankets and in mobility chairs, and kids with emojis over their faces for privacy purposes in the photo.

Prioritising the Care Economy

The Ireland I know wants everyone to get the care they deserve when they need it.

If in government, we will fully fund and implement Sláintecare, delivering:

  • Universal healthcare where people can attend the doctor free of charge,
  • Increased funding for vital mental health services from 5% to 10% of the healthcare budget
  • Access to homecare and community care

Disability services are a human right and we will accelerate investment to address huge capacity constraints and ratify the Optional Protocol of the United Nations’ CRPD.

A “New Deal” for Families

Raising a family in Dublin is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. We believe in making Ireland the best country in the world to raise children:

  • Increasing paid parents’ leave to include the first 12 months of a child’s life.
  • Establishing a public model of free childcare by directly building additional childcare settings, including on the grounds of schools
  • Making education truly free: funding schoolbooks and classroom resources; increased capitation grants; abolishing ‘voluntary contributions’
  • Publicly funded and accessible sports and leisure facilities open to all

A Resilient Economy

Ireland’s economy faces growing risks, and as great as the multinationals have been for Ireland, we need to increase our focus on Ireland’s indigenous economy: small businesses, start-ups, and scale-ups. This also means developing our innovative capacity in research and development in our universities and industry.

Our workforce is among the most productive in the world. We need to retain our best with better protections: a real Living Wage reflecting the cost of living; a statutory right to union recognition and collective bargaining; and ending exploitative and precarious working practices by extending bans on zero-hour/if-and-when contracts.

Eoin standing proudly with around 30 of his family, friends, colleagues, and supporters after being selected to stand for Dublin City Council.

FAQs about my priorities

Where can I find more details on your party’s policies?

The Social Democrats have detailed policies which you can find here: Our Policies – Social Democrats

What is Social Democracy?

At its core, social democracy is about protecting those fundamental elements that provide every member of society with dignity and opportunity.

Housing, healthcare, disability services and childcare should never be mere commodities that are only available to those on highest incomes. These are areas where the State must play an active role – consistently and decisively.

For too long, the State has outsourced its responsibilities to the private market. We cannot continue like this. We must think about the society we want to see – not just in the immediate future, but in 10, 20 and 30 years’ time. The decisions we make today will shape that future. This is especially the case when it comes to climate action and the need to protect nature and our biodiversity.

How can I get involved?

Getting involved is easy! You can volunteer, attend local events, or spread the word about our policies. Every action counts in making a difference for Dublin Bay South. Reach out to me on WhatsApp or shoot me an email any time to get started.

Still have questions?

Reach out for more information or clarifications on policies.

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