Proinsias Ó Conaráin

Proinsias Ó Conaráin’s Priorities:

Health Provision, Affordable Housing and Homelessness, Facilities for the Elderly and those with Special Needs, Civic Pride and Public Amenities, Combatting Anti-Social Behaviour and Drug Abuse, Saving Historic Dublin, Protecting Dublin Bay

I am a married man with three grown up children and two beautiful granddaughters. I was born and reared in Dublin and for the last forty-one years I have lived in the Raheny/ Donaghmede area of the city. I was a shop steward in the TEEU union for twelve years and in that time I worked hard to improve the rights of the people I represented. Bin charges were a major concern when they were proposed in 2016, I along with other local representatives mobilised to stop them.

It was another acidic government move to drain the resources of the hardworking people of Ireland. More recently I fought the Family Home Tax (property tax). I believe it is totally unjust to tax a person’s home. I was also a strong voice of opposition against the water charges. To further stand up for the rights of the people in my locality and make real positive changes to the day to day lives of constituents I have joined Aontú. Aontú is the vehicle to provide principled and credible opposition to the political establishment. I pledge to work tirelessly on your behalf.

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.