John Dwyer, Independent

John Dwyer, Independent
Constituency: Wexford

Personal Details

• Address: New Ross, Co Wexford
• Year of Birth: 1963
• Email address:: johndwyerwex@gmail.com
• Phone Number:: 0872969065
• Occupation: Unemployed
• Previous Occupation: Health & Safety Officer. Sales Representative
• Financial interests: Nil
• Income (aside from income derived from political office): Social Welfare (my earnings as a public a member of New Ross Town Council are deducted in full from my social welfare)
• Approximate net worth of capital assets (aside from family residence): Nil

Political Details

• Are you an outgoing politician? Councillor
• Information on political career to date: Former SF activist and member of New Ross Town Council as well as Wex Co Co. Stood in 2 previous Dail elections as well as EU elections for Sinn Fein. I have remained active as a local politician in Wexford and am currently chairman of New Ross Town Council.
• How much money do you expect to spend in the election campaign? €3500
• What will be the sources of this finance? Personal and small contributions from friends and family.

Record and Manifesto

Personal election manifesto: John Dwyer will use his energy and enthusiasm to work on your behalf in the next Dail. His commitment will be to address the real and genuine concerns of ordinary people and to put People before Party. Among the issues that John pledges to campaign on will be

• Total opposition to the use of taxpayer's money to bail out large investors and speculators who knew the risks associated with investing in poorly run banks.
• Protecting the living standards of those who depend on social welfare payments.
• Revitalising and protecting public services such as healthcare and schools.
• Reversing the unfair burden placed on workers and their families with the introduction of the Universal Social Charge.
• Supporting community groups who are opposed to unnecessary and extremely expensive motorways and bypasses throughout County Wexford.
• Investment in local road upgrading and repairs.
• Proposing that the next government move to protect mortgage holders on all family homes with the introduction of legislation to protect home buyers from greedy banks and sub- prime lenders.
• Promoting the idea that because we still have lengthy local authority housing lists that we need to begin a local authority housing construction programme across the country.

What in your record distinguishes you above the other candidates in your constituency? My willingness to confront head on the way the poorest in Ireland have suffered most at the hands of the FF/Green government and my willingness to continue with that opposition to the next FG government. The fact that I can relate first hand to the plight of so many thousands of our citizens sets me apart from the rest of the candidates in Wexford.

What do you consider to be the main election issues in your constituency? Unemployment and inequality

What do you believe are the national priorities, and what do you propose in this regard? Stop financing the debts of speculators. Job creation.

Specific Policy Questions

Do you support political reform, and why? What measures would you introduce to reform local and national politics? Yes. Abolish the Seanad. Reduce the wage of TDs to the average industrial wage. reform local government including the abolition of many senior mamagement positions such as directors of services.

Should Church involvement in provision of education and teacher training continue? If no, what measures do you propose? No. State only fully funded schools.

Do you support Freedom of Information reform, and why? What measures do you support in this regard? Yes. Remove the restrictions currently imposed on under the FOI act. increase the penelties for non compliance

What do you believe the smart economy to be, and what measures do you propose to foster this? I believe the smart economy to be the utilisation of the latest technologies to facilitate business and job creation. increased university places and increased R&D grant aid to firms in the area of the smart economy

What infrastructural projects do you believe are urgently required? How would you support their development? The provision by government of extensive and effective broadband capacity available to all. immediate restoration of our primary road network.

Do you believe there is a need for pension reform? What measures do you propose to safeguard a dignified and secure old age for Ireland's citizens? Yes. Secure through constitutional change, the right to dignity and adequate income for all citizens.

Where do you stand on the EU/IMF bailout? Opposed

Would you support holding a referendum decide the question of making any further payments from the citizens to bank creditors? Yes

Do you support the Fine Gael policy for Health Reform? No.

What job creation initiatives do you propose? Increased fund for County Enterprise Boards, Direct government involvement in alternative energy production rather than leaving the development to private firms. increase provision for PLC training throught the VECs and abolish FAS.

What measures do you propose to provide adequate housing and security of tenure to every Irish citizen? Restart the local authority housing construction programe straight away.

Questions from Politico Readers

How would you ensure greater transparency and communication to the public when in government? (Martin Byrne) By encouraging people to vote against those who would seek to hide the truth.

Will you ensure that natural resources remain under state ownership? (Chris Maher) Yes. They belong to the Irish people

If in Government what would be the first change you would seek in the Constitution and why? (Kevin Cooney) The right of children to be treated as citizens of equal value.

Would you support capping TD & Minister salaries at twice the average industrial wage, with €10,000 per annum expenses? (John Murphy) The average industrial wage for the next five years for TDs and 1.5 times that for a Minister.

What proposals do you have on debt reform? (Tara O'Grady) Stop the bailout for a start.

Will you support root and branch reform of all levels of the public service? Starting with the top earners, including politicians. (Terri O'Brien) Yes.

What experts would you try and get into the Dáil through the Seanad to help in the recovery? (Grainne Fallon) : none. thats why we have elections. experts can be hired on a job by job basis as required.