Ladies and Gentlemen, Elected members and all present I was hugely honored to be elected in 2014 and again in 2019, I take the role of elected Councillor very serious my commitment has and always will be to work hard and to offer community, Honesty and integrity ,
If elected to Dail Éireann I will press my own voting button and no one else’s I will only sign in when I am there and I won’t collect Travel expenses to get to and from the Dail,
Paddy Powers says the odds are against me but I have never shyed away from a fight and I need each of you to spread the word that my campaign is poster free and ask them for a vote for Timmons.
I have made commitments let me run through them with a little taster of each
Firstly I want to acknowledge Climate change, we can’t tax ourselves out of Climate change, We need to educate ourselves and change our behaviors, to help us change we need many things like a Luas or Metro, a proper working Transport system, return plastic bottles banks We need radical and rapid change before 2050 This has to be government led and those elected must offer us affordable alternatives and sustainable grants to retro fit our homes and Heat alternatives for our homes. In my time on SDCC I had many motions passed but one I am proud of is the introduction of keep cups. We need to Reduce Reuse and Recycle – We have in Dublin Mid-West many excellent Tidy Towns who are already leading the way in Climate change and keeping our towns the best place to Live, Visit and work in. Going poster free wasn’t a hard choice for me it’s the right thing to do. One use plastic cable ties and Posters that take 400 years to Biodegrade made it easy for me to make the right decision. We are up to the challenge doing nothing is not an option, there is No Planet B?
Housing is a desperate need in SDCC with a huge demand in Dublin Mid-West, I have supported all but one proposal to build on part of Knocklyon football club. Unfortunately there is an upcoming proposal to build on the Woodlands in Rathcoole which I can’t support, we can’t talk climate change and knock down 10,000 trees. I want sustainable and integrated Housing a mix of Private, Social and affordable Housing spread equally around our county. I want to see us building housing and not relying on the private market to supply housing that is pushing up rents and taking the house purchase option away from many especially young who are struggling to save a deposit and to get a mortgage. I want to raise the issues of sub-standard housing and the issues of the buildings in Balgaddy in the Dail and get the issues resolved.
Anti-social behavior needs to be dealt with we need a 24 Hour Garda station in Rathcoole and a full resourced Garda station for Clonburris SDZ , We need Guards on the beat and we need to review the criminal justice system and in particular how we deal with young offenders. Two initiatives I was responsible for in SDCC are the Scrambler and Quad forum and the horse forum both are working groups that are looking at Legislation and Education and involve the four local Dublin Authorities working together on these issues.
Mental Health needs additional resources , We have many crisis in our country and the stress and pressure people feel is Killing us, we need to offer people safe , integrated and Happy communities where we can all live and work side by side. I have many initiatives I undertake yearly including an upcoming event on 13th December in St Johns church in Clondalkin at 7, I also support the introduction of Cocos law to stop online Bullying.
Infrastructure – we have a lack of infrastructure in Dublin Mid-West our roads are at gridlock at certain times of the day we need a Metro or Luas we cannot sustain the amount of Traffic currently and into the future with new builds planned.
Community – when I was a kid two of the things I looked forward to every year was the Paddy’s day Parade and also the Horticultural show, I am now chair of both, I am several voluntary boards, Bawnogue and Knockmitten community centers, Quarryvale Family resource center, Aunua Academy and The Christine Buckley center, I commit to developing integrated community facilities and supporting the Lucan Swimming pool campaign and Lucan Esker boxing club. I am also committed to and run Clondalkin Helping homeless that helps 50 plus families a week with food and supplies along with rough sleepers in the area.
Disability with 30 years in social care , I have the experience and knowledge to be an advocate and voice for disabilities in Dail Éireann , I believe in the right to medication like Spinraza and the right of all people living with SMA to have it like Glen in Clondalkin and Sam in Rathcoole.
National Museum and Garden for survivors of institutional abuse in this country, we can never or should we ever forget the suffering of many women and children in this country who went through the Magdalene laundries the mother and baby institutions, the county institutions, the industrial schools and all other institutions, the time is now for truth, justice and healing unless we learn and acknowledge the past we are destined to repeat it. Many felt firstly no one would listen and secondly no one would believe them, every survivor has a story to tell and they must get a chance to put their story onto the record in a museum if they wish,
I remain committed to an end to the Direct Provision system and to introduce a fair reception type model based on best international standards. I detest children growing up in such and system and children growing up in hotel rooms both have an adverse effect on mental health and quality of life.
As a proud member of the LGBT community I am committed to full equality and to that end I actively campaign for Hate Legislation, to read that 77% of LGBT feel bullied in school is horrendous in 2019, we have come a long way since the dark days pre 1994 decimalization but we have a way to go and I want to be a voice on that journey.
I am asking people to take some leaflets and pass onto neighbors, friends and Family. If you can take one of my old posters and put in your home window for election this would be appreciated or / and a car sign.
I have been successful with support from others to have got the webcasting of council meetings budgeted for in 2020, I believe this will increase and promote Transparency and Openness.
I want to thank everyone that has helped me in this campaign , dropped leaflets , displayed car poster and Window poster and generally offered support and encouragement , the social media likes and comments , I am feeling the love, Please continue to support in any way you can.
My life has been dedicated to working with and supporting the less well off, the most vulnerable in our society, Yesterday SDCC met to decide and vote on the 2020 budget for our county, it’s one of the most important votes we take, Unfortunately the ruling group of FG . FF, Greens and Ronan Mc Mahon, Alan Hayes prevented the democratic process from taking place and stifled debate, they voted Junkets over Homeless and increased Councillor training budget, and they increased council rents and took away a senior citizens grant. The decisions made last night angered me, and left me disillusioned, I feel so sorry for the less well-off and vulnerable children and older people in SDCC after last night’s disaster of a budget. I appeal to people to consider the people that voted for 3 of them are seeking your vote in the By Election and I ask that you think of the less well off when you go to vote
I am keenly aware of an apathy against politics and politicians and after last night’s debacle I can somewhat understand but for someone that believes we can be the best country, that we can live together and that we can have an equal and fairer Ireland For someone that believes in Honesty, Integrity and community on the 29th November Vote Timmons Number 1
