GE 24 meet the candidates: Laura O'Neill (Aontú)

Meet the candidates GE 24

My background is that I have been a youth worker in my village in Delvin for the last 10 years, running youth groups and developing leadership for children and teens in the area, something I’m really passionate about.

Alongside that, I’ve also worked for Deputy Peadar Tóibín for the last three years, managing his Westmeath constituency office, and now developing policy for safeguarding within Aontú.

I’ve led the youth wing, Ógra Aontú, and sat on the party’s Ard Comhairle. Through all that work, I’ve been privileged to campaign for resources for Mullingar hospital, local traffic calming measures, and mental health services.

I shared about my own struggles with anxiety during my (unsuccessful) local election campaign as I feel like it helps to break down the stigma and give others the freedom to talk about it too. Resourcing our mental health services is a big priority for me.

I am keen on animal welfare, currently having eight rescue animals of my own (and counting!). I also am a big supporter of the arts, having received a scholarship for creative photography. With my photography work, I created an exhibition on hidden homelessness and fundraised for Irish Soup Kitchens.

What would your party do to solve the housing crisis?

Housing needs to be looked at as a basic human right. We need to build social housing, but we also need to reform and speed up the planning process. Along with that, one in every 33 houses in the state are vacant. We want to speed up the process of receiving the Refurbishment Grants to assist with getting those homes back into use, as they are currently only giving five grants per month. Construction apprenticeships need more investment, and we would incentivise the return of Irish construction workers from abroad.

What would your party do to address the economic concerns that many people face due to the rising costs of groceries, insurance, fuel…?

There is huge pressure on families with regards to the cost of living. Aontú would look at things that put pressure on families and small businesses like fuel (due to lack of viable, regular public transport) and electricity prices. Aontú would reverse the carbon tax increases, decouple electricity from gas prices, and direct the ESB to take lower profits.

What would your party do differently to other parties they form part of the next government?

We are proposing that a junior minister be appointed within the Department of the Taoiseach with direct responsibility for ensuring efficiency and eradicating waste throughout the public sector. That would lead to less waste of taxpayers’ money on things like bike sheds and overspending on the National Children’s Hospital.

If you were marking the performance of the current government out of 10 what would you give it?

Respectfully, I am a young person still living in their family home with friends who have had to leave the country to have a decent quality of life – all while our public money is being wasted with no accountability. I have seen many friends, family and neighbours have to wait a year to access mental healthcare, and then physical healthcare is another issue altogether.

They have voted against our bill which would help farmers to have a decent cut of their profits without affecting the price of products at the till. They have left vacuums of information in communities with regards to immigration which has only led to increases in rumour and difficulty for both the communities and those who are seeking asylum. I don’t think I could rate them highly.

What one issue would be your top priority if you are elected to the Dáil?

Besides the obvious urgent issues we are all talking about, mental healthcare will always remain a priority for me. We would like to see real solutions, like establishing out-of-hours emergency services for both young and old who are struggling. Currently the waiting lists for help are far too long.

Do smaller parties have any real power to enact change in the Dáil?

After working for Deputy Peadar Tóibín for the last three years, I believe so. We have achieved a lot; campaigning with the people in the Family and Care referenda, our Pet Theft Bill, homelessness advocacy along with exposing the numbers of vacant properties in the state and TUSLA oversights. We have made a huge difference already, with only one TD.