Brigid Purcell

Dublin Bay South

Telephone: 089 257 2345

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I have worked in the service industry for nearly a decade, working as a waitress, a bartender, a cleaner, a kitchen porter, a cashier. I know the ins and outs of the service industry, and I know the labour abuse that takes place there.

I have seen it all: from wage theft, owners stealing staff’s tips, and zero hours contracts to verbal and physical abuse and sexual harassment and assault. I know the lack of protection offered to workers in this country because I have experienced it myself.

Which is more than can be said for those in the Dáil, who either have never had precarious work, or have been there so long they can’t remember what it’s like to be an ordinary person.

I am a regular person.. I am a young woman, a woefully underrepresented demographic in the Dáil. I am a feminist. I do not subscribe to the “girlboss” idea of “needing more female CEOs”. I advocate for equality and social justice for everyone in this country.

I have been involved in several campaigns in my local area, including a campaign to stop the selling off on the open market of the Graving Docks in Ringsend, and a campaign to stop Ringsend Water Treatment Plant dumping sewage into Dublin Bay.

Policies

Housing Crisis

You wait an average of 12 years if you want a council house in Dublin City Council. Rents to private landlords are extortionate and you will never afford to buy a home in Dublin Bay South.

I’m saying this:

  • Rents controls that help cut rents. Where a tenant can show their rent consumes more than one third of their income, they should be able to go to a rental board that forces the landlord to cut rent.
  • Stop the sell-off of public land – Use it to build social housing. Increase the income threshold to make social housing available to all.
  • Control the price of building land. Affordable homes based on income levels. Force banks to lower their mortgage interest rates to the EU average.
  • Introduce a vacant house levy to turn 200,000 units into homes. Regenerate the council flats  in Dublin Bay South. Give tenants a right to access an independent agency where they have complaints.
Workers Rights

Irish workers have 6 less holidays a year than French or German workers. We have a low pay economy where workers are not guaranteed sick pay. Our right wing government wants us to keep working until we are 68.

I’m saying this:

  • Give workers a €15 an hour minimum rate of pay
  • Bring the pension age back to 65.
  • Give workers a legal right to a sick pay scheme and a pension.
  • Stop the outsourcing for cheap labour
  • Mandatory overtime rates when you work beyond contracted hours
  • Publicly funded childcare to cut costs to parents
Stop The Pollution Of Dublin Bay

The EU Water Framework Directive stated that we should have had clear waters by 2015. Yet Dublin Bay is polluted and is unsafe to swim. The main reason is that Irish Water only treats 40% of all the wastewater in the country. Overflows have caused huge pollution.

I’m saying this:

  • We cannot wait any longer – we need massive investment now to solve this problem.
  • The Ringsend plant cannot shoulder the burden to treating waste water – establish other eco friendly facilities.
Women’s Rights

Women have come a long way in Ireland – but we have a  long way to go. The Covid pandemic has brought a surge in gender violence.

I’m saying this:

  • Stop any church control over the new National Maternity Hospital. Make it completely independent of the Sisters of Charity
  • Take the institutions which imprisoned unmarried women into public ownership and give a proper redress scheme
  • Proper objective sex education in schools with a focus on consent
  • Challenge a sexist culture which demeans women
A Better Dublin Bay South

Life in a city should not be dominated by constant traffic and air pollution. We need green spaces and social spaces to relax. We don’t want to be colonised by offices and hotels.

I’m saying this:

  • Expand the bus fleet – restore 300 buses cut by the Fianna Fail-Green government.
  • Immediately reduce fares to €1 and move to a policy of free public transport.
  • Establish water drinking fountain so we don’t have to buy bottled waters.
  • Make Dublin wifi free – you shoud be able to connect anywhere.
  • Free open air gym facilities should also be provided in many of our parks. Why should you have to pay over €500 a year to exercise?  

Get Involved

In this election I will be facing the big money of Fine Gael and their ‘posh boy’ club. Against a life of privilege, I want to represent regular people who are suffering from a housing crisis and a lack of rights. If you can help me in my campaign, please let me know.

People Before Profit

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