Kildare South candidates face questions about cost of living and housing

Ten of Kildare South’s 15 general election candidates gathered in the Milltown GAA Clubhouse for the constituency’s first town hall event of the campaign, organised by Milltown Foróige.

This is the second such event the club has run, having organised a similar one for the last general election in 2020.

The candidates in attendance included incumbent TDs Cathal Berry, Martin Heydon and Patricia Ryan, Senators Fiona O’Loughlin and Mark Wall, Councillors Tom McDonnell, Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh and Chris Pender as well as Anthony Casey and Monaa K Sood.

Following brief candidate introductions, questions were fielded from the moderators, Áine Sheerin and Aidan Forde, as well as from club members and the audience. A number of topics were touched on over the course of nearly two hours, including the cost of living, first-time buyer's’grant and planning permission for one-off developments in rural areas.

A large focus was also placed on issues that relate to younger people, including the lack of sufficient mental health services in Kildare, as well as the scarcity of secondary school places and the difficulties faced by many families having adequate school transport options. The moderators also pointed out that Milltown Foróige had recently seen a cut to its funding. None of the candidates had been aware of this specific case beforehand, each expressed dismay and reiterated their support for further investment in youth organisations.

A question taken from a Foróige member also quizzed candidates on their stance on the means test for carers. Each expressed support for the abolition of what Cathal Berry referred to as “the mean test”, including the three candidates representing incumbent coalition parties, however Minister Heydon claimed that such a measure would be “hard” to introduce but would still be possible over the lifetime of the next government. 

The final audience question related to the lack of employment available for people living with disabilities. Ireland currently ranks last in Europe in that respect with no provision currently exists in the constitution to guarantee state support for adults living with disabilities. In their responses, each candidate agreed that not enough had been done to date, with Senator O’Loughlin acknowledging that a more “rights-based” approach was needed. Meanwhile, cllr Pender spoke about his family's personal experience with disability too and emphasised his party’s support for a designated Minister for Disabilities. The event concluded a short while later with refreshments provided by the club, giving people the opportunity to mix with the candidates directly.