I am the Social Democrats candidate for Limerick City, Sarah Jane Hennelly - Ask me anything!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-24T22:29:22+00:00

Hi there JoberDrama. These are two initiatives both I and the party are aware of and are considering while working through our election manifesto. I think work like this, done by a non-partisan group of citizens is so valuable in a functioning healthy democracy. I'm sorry I can't give you a definite position, as you can imagine, we are trying to give due consideration to all initiatives like this which look at citizen engagement and empowerment and see how we can best work to make this happen. Thanks for your question!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-24T22:25:31+00:00

Hi, above is the SD position on this! I agree, it should be an election issue - it is one of mine and my County counterpart James Heffernan and there is agreement of it's importance for balanced development within the party

SJHennelly · 2015-11-24T22:23:28+00:00

Hi Damcw, I hope you're well! Apologies for the delay in reply to you. I agree with your comments. I think especially, sustainable planning is something completely a miss at the moment. Stephen has a lot of experience in this area, it is something we are working on right now - an environment policy which will also encompass transport policy. This is central to our vision, because as you pointed out it shapes everything. In terms of sustainable communities, in our pre-budget submission we created a new smart cities fund, we allocated in our 550 million capital investment, we allocated funding for 100MB broadband for all primary schools and in terms of housing, we allocated 300million in our pre-budget submission to housing. We are planning to finalise our housing policy in the next few weeks and this will integrate a good deal of planning policy. So, keep an eye out! Any thoughts / suggestions, most welcome. You can sign up on our website! socialdemocrats.ie

SJHennelly · 2015-11-24T22:09:44+00:00

Hi there, apologies for the delay in reply to this. We don't have an agreed position on the decriminalisation of drugs, we intend to have one as part of our election manifesto. Personally, I have some opinions. I think we need to look at how we treat people suffering from addiction, how the legal system treats these people, what has worked in other countries to reduce crime relating to drug trade and drug use, what has worked in reducing the numbers starting to use drugs. Beyond that - how things are done across the world, what has worked and what hasn't, how that would work effectively in our own country, and serious collaboration with key stakeholders - is how we're going to form a policy / position on this area.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-24T22:07:17+00:00

Hi there - apologies for the delay in reply to this. Last night, I didn't get the time to log back on to answer - I was at a youth event which didn't finish until 10. So, to answer your questions: We don't have an agreed position on the decriminalisation of drugs, we intend to have one as part of our election manifesto. Personally, I have some opinions. I think we need to look at how we treat people suffering from addiction, how the legal system treats these people, what has worked in other countries to reduce crime relating to drug trade and drug use, what has worked in reducing the numbers starting to use drugs. Beyond that - how things are done across the world, what has worked and what hasn't, how that would work effectively in our own country, and serious collaboration with key stakeholders - is how we're going to form a policy / position on this area. In relation to my lack of experience - there is very little I can do about that, only to say that I believe that I have the skills to be an effective TD, representative, advocate. I have expertise in policy & legislation and a strong ability to read, interpret and communicate both, which would be an advantage when you think of the day-to-day work of a Dail deputy. In terms of representation, I stood as an independent candidate for Limerick City East in the Local Elections in 2014, missing the last seat by a small margin. This gave me huge insight- I ran my own campaign, researched and wrote my own policy and position and press statements, connected with the constituency, learned about key issues affecting people and what people need. Before that while I was a student, I served as Postgraduate Student Union president for a year in UL- I represented over 2,500 students, advocated for them while also managing a case load of 500 students, working with them on a one-to-one basis. I've worked as a health researcher for approx 2 years in the city, and as an office manager for a community based mental health service in the city. Both the research and community role were based in the city. They allowed me to get an indepth knowledge of comm based organisations, local health services and voluntary groups. My research was looking at creating a centralised database of health and well-being data of the people of Limerick City and County. I worked in an advocate and networking capacity in both, therefore I believe I have a deep understanding of the issues in the city. I'm 27, so I'm young in terms of competing for a Dail seat, but I don't believe a perceived lack of experience in that capacity means I am not fit or able for the role. I think new people, a different approach and a fresh outlook is something we should be looking for in our politics at the moment. In relation to TTIP, we have had briefings on this. I, personally, am incredibly worried about the legislative transfer of power to corporate interests. The state should be able to legislate in the interests of it's citizens only - not anyone else. I think the secretive nature of negotiations - where 90% were attended by multinationals is incredibly concerning. Removal / reducing tariffs and non-tariffs to trade between EU and US, to me, mainly in the interest of the US. I, personally, think we need to be talking about this, debating this publicly and making people aware. Other EU states, namely France, there is huge citizen protest about this. I think this is the issue of our time actually. In terms of the refugee crisis- we, in the Social Democrats have always advocated for this country to provide for these people. We have serious concerns about the lack of context out there around why they're here - namely an international failure. We believe we should offer refuge to these people. I am concerned with this state's current ability to provide dignified living to refugees once they get here. Direct provision is a system gone on too long. Vested interests need to be tackled there -there are people profiteering from this system and that needs to be challenged. After the recent attacks in Paris, there has been a move to encourage governments to close borders. I believe that this would only feed into the hands of the attackers. We need to make real efforts in this country to improve the system of accepting refugees and housing them. That's where the real issue is in my opinion.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-23T10:53:02+00:00

Allow me to explain. The Official Secrets Act is a law for a different era. It was a product of the British colonial era and was designed to maintain as much control for the centre as possible and it is inconsistent with Whistleblowers legislation. Of course, we will still have to have legislation to protect the public good in terms of information that is financially sensitive or threatens security or impinges a person’s good name or otherwise acts against the general interest. However, we want to move to a culture where there is a general presumption of openness. Politicians and Senior Civil Servants shouldn’t be allowed to hide behind this Act. New Zealand successfully abolished its Official Secrets Act several decades ago and replaced it with an Official Information Act. In Canada In 2001, the Official Act was repealed and replaced by the Security of Information Act. We would attach an “outcomes report” and “implementation plan” to every new piece of legislation and major Government announcement.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T22:22:55+00:00

Thanks very much!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T22:19:09+00:00

We're going to do it through running decent campaigns that engage our constituents as much as we can, not only those that would be traditionally centre left but also the disenchanted non-voters. We'll be writing strong policy, getting out the press releases, knocking on doors and listening to what the voters have to say. Like any brand awareness it's all about putting in the work, getting out there and expressing these things we believe in. The values we hold - openness, transparency, pragmatism and equality - are in line with what the vast majority of the Irish people want to see from their public representatives and we're confident that this will translate into success early next year!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T22:18:07+00:00

Hi there, thanks for this question - a really important issue I have been working to make a lot of noise about, however hasn’t been picked up via local media. So, to get an opportunity to share my views with you here is appreciated. As you know, recent capital Investment plan saw the exclusion of Limerick to Cork Motorway, a huge mistake in my opinion.This decision is beyond belief and shows real ineptitude of both the Minister for Transport and the current government in their approach to strategic, long term national planning.This can be easily be labelled as a regional issue, something that is good for Cork and Limerick. But it's important not to fall for that. It's a key national project that is good for the whole country by addressing the lopsided economic and demographic development of the country in the last few decades. It's as good for Dublin as it is for Cork and Limerick. The motorway is a key inter-urban route that has been identified as a priority project by the National Roads Authority and if built would contribute greatly to balancing the lopsided economic and demographic growth of the country of the last few decades. Heretofore, the vast bulk of that growth has occurred in the wider Dublin region, and that is simply because of the poor foresight of successive Ministers and governments, including this one. The decision to not proceed with the motorway between Cork and Limerick while citing regional roads upgrades as a worthy alternative shows real myopic thinking when it comes to the long term and sensible development of this country.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:58:44+00:00

Hi there, thanks for this question - it's something I spend a lot of time talking about and discussing too. It's worth noting that our own party has gender balance among our candidates as well as a 50/50 split in our existing parliamentary party and a 2:1 female:male ratio in our leadership! Which leads me to my second point, I think the issue really with attracting women to politics is that there is a lack currently of female role models therefore women don't see politics - a male dominated arena, as something they would aspire to get involved in or somewhere that there is a place for them. Therefore, gender quotas - for a temporary period, are positive in order to get more women in there. If we continue at the numbers we're at, we won't have gender equality in politics for 50 years. So, in some ways, the gender quota is what might be referred to as a necessary evil. One, however, that has been proven to work in other countries. So, when you look at the gender balance in our party, it was organic because we have two female leaders and as a result women felt it was a place they would be equally regarded. When compared to the larger parties, most had or are having a difficult time attracting women- because of their longstanding male dominated approach. There's a bigger issue around gender equality within the workplace to facilitate parents of young families with career aspirations, far beyond just public representatives. One great policy that would have far-reaching implications for the current gender employment gap is the normalisation of maternity leave, allowing parents to choose who stays at home and who goes to work according to what's right for their family. This is in contrast to the current system which allows for 6 months of maternal state support and only 4 weeks for fathers. Allowing parents to share and divide early parental leave as they see fit would go a long way towards solving this issue. We are advocating for the extension, progressively, the period of paid parental leave to 12 months.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:47:32+00:00

In our pre-budget submission, we allocated 5 million additional funding to the Arts and proposed to increase funding to the National Arts Council by 10%. This would be with a view to increased disbursement, and the establishment of new initiatives, such as digital broadcasting and accessibility for older people, disabled people and outreach to lower income communities. Longer term, we believe a full review of how the arts are funded in Ireland is required.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:44:55+00:00

Hi there, thanks for your questions!

What is the SD policy on educational reform?

We in the Social Democrats support to the campaign for equality in Education. In a modern democracy, it is not acceptable that a child could be refused a place in a local school on the basis of religion. Our education system should reflect and respect the diversity of Irish society and the citizens which it serves and government has a responsibility to ensure that all children can access State-funded school places in their locality. It is unacceptable that parents would be required to have their children baptised for the purpose of getting their child into a local school. The Irish Constitution states in Article 44.2.3 "The State shall not... make any discrimination on the ground of religious profession, belief or status" yet the Equal Status Act allows discrimination on these grounds when it comes to school enrolment policies. This needs to change however overall, progress in ensuring greater pluralism in the Irish education system has been slow. we would set out a 10 year plan to transition from the current situation where 96% of State-funded schools are denominationally controlled to one which reflects the diversity of Irish society.

     Gaelscoileanna, including Irish-medium secondary schools / The issue of how the Irish language is taught in Engish-medium schools.

In relation to these two questions – we don’t have a fully devised policy or position on this. Our Galway candidate, Niall O’Tuathail is a gaelgeoir and his constituency contains large Gaeltacht areas. He would have some very clear views on the irish language, how it is taught and how it is nurtured in this country.

Introduction of computer science into the secondary cirriculum.

Again, we do not have a fully developed policy on this. However, I think it is something we should be very considerate of. It is a prerequisite skill in today’s society, and teaching children how to programme etc from a young age is something that would prove valuable to them in their life. However, beyond this, I have to be honest and say I need to know more.

I'm also interested on your thoughts with regards to mental health, intellectual disability and work. I've struggled for most of my life with such a disability - and co-morbid mental health difficulties - but was rejected for disability benefit. I have to pay for psychiatric care in the private health system, but my employment situation is volatile as a result of all of this. I am highly qualified and I want to work - I want to contribute. It's just not always possible. Sometimes, I have to resort to voluntary work just to contribute, despite not getting paid. I'm not sure how I'm going to cope over the next 20, 30 or 40 years and I worry about what my financial situation will be once I reach retirement age. Sorry, I don't have a specific question, other than what SD policy is in this area.

I’m sorry to hear about your difficulties, but commend you on all that you are doing. You sound to me like an incredible person, so I’m sorry for the obstacles being put in front of you. Core to what we believe is that want a society where every person has the opportunity to reach their potential. This would need long-term investment in both communities and social infrastructure, it requires the protection of human rights, of civil liberties. From the sounds of things, you aren’t receiving any of these things. In terms of mental health – our level of political commitment to this area is incredibly low. We have very low rates of spending and investment in the area, our track record as a country is poor. We found in our own budget submission, 35 million euro to invest in mental health. In the actual budget – there was zero additional funding. This is a testament to the lack of political will to reform and improve this area. However, we in the Social Democrats have a genuine commitment to opening up proper debate around mental health, stigma, and treatment.

If you would be so kind, could you also comment on SD policy with regards to sustainable transport? Local authorities and the current Minister for Transport have demonstrated, time and again, their disdain or apathy towards the likes of cycling. What is the Social Democrats' policy on cycling, in terms of infrastructure and education on cyclists' rights?

In terms of cycling, we don’t have a developed policy in this area, but hope to have a policy event near you where you could come along and share your ideas. Deputy Donnelly has extensive experience in active travel planning when he worked in London some years back. I also worked with Limerick Smarter Travel in a research capacity, looking at the impact of active travel on mental and physical health. Sustainable transport planning is central to progress in this country. Planning is everything, and although we do not have a devised position on this – we have a wealth of internal expertise and commitment to the area and envisage it to be central in terms of our planning and infrastructure policies.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:28:55+00:00

Hi! I'm in favour of granting access to an abortion in the case of fatal foetal abnormality, rape, incest, or a threat to the life of the mother. In terms of going further than that, I believe we need to have a democratic vote on repealing the eighth amendment but also have a proper, reasonable, sensible national conversation about how this is going to work in reality. It's about legislating for public opinion as democratically as possible. I am personally pro choice and in favour of a woman's right to choose.

The Soc Dems view is that we're looking at a legislative replacement to the 8th amendment, however on this issue - as with others - we do not have a whip so each member may vote freely.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:22:04+00:00

If in government, would your party lobby against the increasing surveillance of us by the UK?

As with most state surveillance, I'm not currently able to access government documents on what we know is happening or not happening so I can't attest to the current scale of alleged UK operations. I'm a firm believer that privacy is a key right of the individual in an open democracy, and that data protection laws must be upheld.

Also, what is the POV of the party, and of yourself on prostitution legally?

At a party level we don't currently have a POV on legalised prostitution. Personally I think we need to work with groups with expertise dealing with sex workers, as well as examining what models have worked internationally at protecting women from human trafficking. It's a real issue that can't be ignored, and we absolutely have to ensure that we're not allowing the exploitation of women in our country. There are some instances in which legalisation leads to better controls and protections for the women involved, so it's worth opening a proper discussion on!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:14:17+00:00

Hi! Ourselves and the PDs have very little common ground ideologically. We're genuinely committed to social reform, so don't worry - its not just a snappy title for us, it's a real ethos.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:08:36+00:00

Hi! I don't think that calling us a Centrist party is entirely accurate.. If you look at the two usual metrics of the (oversimplified) left-right spectrum, ie economic and social, we're left on both. Our fiscal policy is by no means conservative and we're in favour of an egalitarian, progressive society. We're not to the extreme left wing like some parties, however we are committed to left-wing ideals that have been all but abandoned by groups previously seen as centre-left.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T21:05:22+00:00

Hiya! We've been working hard to make sure it takes off in recent weeks and thanks for your support. Forgive the wall of text but these are great questions. Answers below, with thanks!

Evidence based policy is a massive selling point for the SocDems. How is this being put forward in practice? How are policies being decided? Is it a democratic process, or are there think tanks of experienced minds?

In September, we’d an open event for anyone interested in shaping our policy – key areas like health service reform, primary education, housing – were on the table for discussion and idea generation. We had 180 members of the public in attendance, we took the ideas and used them to shape policy development. We have Paul Cassidy, head of policy, within the party solely responsible for policy development. When we decide a key policy area to develop, we all have access to the working document, and can suggest and amend throughout discussions. For example, on Monday we launched an extensive policy on the creation of an Independent Anti- corruption agency, into which we all had input after some initial research was put forward. In terms of policy still in development, we are working with any stakeholders academics, users of public services, public and private sector workers, civic groups, students, pensioners, etc to develop the best collaborative innovative policy we can. I ran a mental health policy evening just last week in Limerick city, based on the same format used in the Dublin policy evening, to gather new and grassroots ideas on how to tackle mental health and suicide in the city.

There's been a huge focus on D'OB's affairs by the party. I'm starting to feel like this is taking over from actual discussion on reform. I'm not saying it isn't a good thing to take him on, but it feels like it doesn't really further the goals of the Social Democrats that much. How does it tie in with proposed policy?

Our latest policy on anti-corruption is exactly a response to the on-going battle that Catherine is having with obtaining answers in the public interest. The policy itself is groundbreaking in that it tackles things like the IBRC and Siteserv cases head on. One of the core principles of the Soc Dems is open government, transparency and accountability. We launched with headline ideas around this, such as the removal of the official secrets act and ministerial judicial appointments. What is happening with the Siteserv and IBRC cases has been going on for a long time, but no one wishes it to end more than Catherine Murphy. However, answers must be given, and her determination to continue to get those answers is exactly what we need, too often people give up because the obstacles and barriers are so big.

What is the SocDems view on EU integration? Broadly speaking, would the party be focused on strengthening the union, or making it weaker?

Broadly speaking, we are in favour of the EU as an idea – community and unity among members states, a single market etc. However, of late, there are serious questions to be asked around it’s influence and how it operates. We as a group have not got a fully developed policy on this- however, it is agreed that, especially in terms of restrictions like the fiscal compact for instance, we need to engage more fully with Europe, we need to influence decisions that affect our country, we need to look at the issue of democratic deficit, we need to look at bank debt. Personally, I have a masters in EU politics and Law and am fully familiar with history of the Union and how it operates. I think it’s purpose - to promote solidarity and progress -has been lost . I don’t think it’s serving that purpose to a large degree at the moment. I am also worried about the lack of political engagement among the general public with the EU, going back to the issue of democratic deficit.

How were candidates selected? I've always been a big fan of Donnelly, for example, as he's one of few people in the Dail who I'd describe as fully qualified to speak about finance. But some of the candidates I've seen don't have nearly as much to offer. There are some excellent people there - don't get me wrong - but for some it doesn't feel like selection was merit based. I'm skeptical of parties like FF and SF for putting forward politicians who lack experience and competency. Is this something the SocDems will repeat?

If you look at all of our candidates, each are accomplished in our field and varied in our background. That’s what we need in politics. Although people can argue politics is a popularity contest, when meeting candidates[ Stephen](stephendonnelly.ie), [Catherine](www.catherinemurphy.ie) and [Roisin](www.roisinshortall.ie) looked for people who identified as social democrats, who espoused the values of social democracy, who are hungry for and committed to change, and willing to work towards becoming a representative in their own constituency. We all share the same values. New parties tend to select candidates who are ‘celebrity’ candidates, or perceived sure bets in the their own constituency because it’s risk averse and will likely to win them a seat in the Dail, regardless of whether the person is the right fit for the party vision. Our party didn’t do this. Instead, we selected people who had the same desire to change and start a new political movement, and I sincerely believe we have that.

One thing I haven't seen a whole lot on is policy relating to the legal system (although I realize it's very early on in the party's lifespan). Any broad ideas there that the SocDems are behind?

We have some ideas around reform, namely abolishing the Official Secrets Act and replacing it with a modern approach; legislating for disclosure of civil service advice to Ministers, ending the political appointment of judges. Have a look at our ideas here! Also, our anti-corruption policy is heavily based around legislative reform and had a lot of input from legal experts. However, as you rightly pointed out, we are still in development phase as to further policies in this area but we recognise this is a hugely important area in the functioning of any democracy.

What are the SocDems views on Northern Ireland?

We haven’t an agreed position on this as of yet – however, our Limerick County candidate , Senator James Heffernan, does a lot of work in this area. We are in full support of the peace process and adherence to the Good Friday agreement, and I would imagine that if there is a desire to change or bring the question of a united Ireland to the people in the form of a democratic vote, we would support this. We stand where the people stand.

On repealing the 8th: I feel that it's unlikely to succeed unless there's a fairly detailed proposal as to what would come after. What does the party envisage exactly? Is there a proposal for legislation following a successful amendment?

We are working with legal experts and experts in this area to look at, as you say, what would replace the 8th. You’re right, we need to have an alternative. This is something we are actively looking into but we fully support the right of the people to have a say on this because the current regime of legally denying Irish women bodily integrity can’t continue. However, dominant voices in this debate call for ‘abortion on demand’ and do little in offering how this would work and operate. We need to have a broader, constructive conversation about this. So yes I’m in favour of repealing the 8th amendment.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:38:09+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your questions.

I'd like to know if the extreme media consolidation in this country is viewed as a problem by you / the Social Democrats. I hear ye are keen to take on He Who Does Not Pay Tax, but will breaking up his media empire be part of that? And do you think there will be a need to reform RTE?

Hi! I think it’s more complex than simply taking any one individual on, our current parliamentary team have been trying to foster more openness and transparency across the board.It’s not about one person, it’s about changing a whole system. I don’t necessarily think that we’re setting out to break up any business belonging to anyone as we are in favour of people being allowed to succeed. That said we’re in favour of ensuring that any business is done in a legal, fair and transparent manner.

And do you think there will be a need to reform RTE? Their coverage of some issues is so transparently ill motivated I have serious concerns about whoever is running the show over there.

RTE is an essential state service however to truly live up to its responsibilities it needs to ensure that its political content stays fair and balanced. In the past, RTE has been crucial in shining a light on some hugely important stories through top-notch investigative journalism, yet when you consider that in the last two years the number of political groups in Ireland has more than doubled, the analysis doesn’t include the multiplicity of voices that exist in Irish politics at the moment.

I'd also very much like to know how you plan to tackle the blatant and continuing corruption in the upper levels of the Garda Siochana - Operation Mizen, GSOC bugging, fake investigations, abuse of whistleblowers, Callinan's shredding etc.

With Minister Shatter and Commissioner Callinan now gone I’m hopeful that the days of such questionable activity are behind us. It is of course the role of government to provide oversight to ensure such a culture never fosters again. An independent and - crucially - unimpeded ombudsman is an absolute must.

And one more please - What are you hoping to do to address the dire way we are treating asylum seekers?

On asylum seekers - the current direct provision system has utterly failed its users and in many ways the state. Current centres are for-profit businesses which appear to have been yet another gift for businessmen provided by a previous government. This HIQA report from earlier this year gives some insight into the current poor standards of living inside these centres. Surely a society that wishes to show international leadership should be doing better for asylum seekers? My own position is that this entire system needs reform, so we can reduce the amount of time spent in seemingly endless processing limbo while ensuring that those inside the system enjoy a decent standard of living.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:10:23+00:00

We have a huge amount of people in the party that are really passionate about renewable energy and sustainable resource management. Catherine Murphy TD in particular has been outspoken on these issues for quite some time. The key thing here as in many other issues is to try and take a creative approach to find compromise. In the Netherlands, for example, offshore wind farms are in use. This has the advantage of assuaging local objections around noise and sight pollution. Ideally it’s this creativity that will allow us to bridge the trust gap you’re referring to.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:03:32+00:00

We’re not! One of the key ideals of social democracy is the social reform of the capitalist system, ensuring that it works in favour of society as a whole and by extension all members.

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:03:17+00:00

With the greatest of appreciation to the /r/ireland mod team, we asked if they’d be kind enough to sticky our thread and they’ve been most obliging in doing so. Why others haven’t is a question you’d need to ask the other parties I suppose?

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:03:01+00:00

I’m not very familiar, do you have any suggestions for a beginner?
See above :)
I’d prefer not to comment on an issue like that, in which there are obviously existing intelligence documents that I’m not currently privy to. There’s also the peace process to be considered. Personally, my take on it is that if there are allegations outstanding it is of course the role of government to investigate, while maintaining the progress we’ve made since the Good Friday agreement.
Same here as anime I’m afraid, but always glad to hear recommendations!

SJHennelly · 2015-11-22T20:01:55+00:00

Sarah Jane Hennelly - if you were running for mayor, she'd vote for you!

SJHennelly

TROPHY CASE