Fine Gael - Darren Scully

Q & A with Kildare North Fine Gael candidate Darren Scully

 Name  Darren Scully Address 3 Kerdiff park, Naas, Co.Kildare Date of birth 08/11/73 Constituency  Kildare North  Party  Fine Gael

Income (aside from income derived from political office):
Between €40,000 - €50,000`

Approximate net worth of capital assets 0aside from family residence):
zero

Information on political career to date:
Elected to Naas town Council June 2004. Candidate in Kildare North by-election 2005, received over 18% of the vote.

Personal election manifesto:
Campaign on issues such as education, childcare, affordable housing, crime, transport, Health

Why should voters in your constituency vote for you rather than for other candidates, including candidates representing the political party which you represent?
As the young married father with small children who commutes to work in Dublin, with a large Mortgage, huge crèche bills, I am the only candidate that personally experiences these issues and many more which affect a huge amount of people in North Kildare.

What do you consider to be the main election issues in your constituency?
Health, Education, Crime, Transport

Were do you stand in relation to these constituency issues?
Health = the current system is a joke. We have no accountability, the HSE is a big red tape machine, we have to many middle managers, and not enough Doctors, Nurses, and beds. The health service needs major reform.
Education = There is chronic overcrowding of schools in Kildare. In some schools in Naas, the waiting list is up to 2018. We have allowed massive house building over the past 10 years with no infrastructure. The school building programme should be handed over to Local authorities.
Crime = Huge population increase over the past ten years, very few extra Guards. No fulltime Garda station in Maynooth or leixlip. Carlow/Kildare Garda division has lowest garda per head of population ratio in the Country. The Minister has failed the people.
Transport = Kildare is a huge commuting county. We have a very bad train service, with no service on Sundays. We have massive traffic delays in all towns. Again same old problem, the officials have allowed massive housing development without proper infrastructure. The unelected officials have way to much power and we need serious reform of local Government, including more powers for elected reps and less power from Central Government.

How much money do you expend to spend in the election campaign?
15,000 Euro

What will be the sources of this finance?
My own SSIA, and fundraising dinner held in October 2006