Community Worker to stand for ISN in Finglas:

John O Neill, a Finglas community worker, is standing as a socialist candidate in the Finglas Ward, Dublin City, in the upcoming local elections. With the three local T.D.’s handing their council seats over to relatively unknown newcomers, there will be a unique opportunity for him to make a breakthrough as a candidate standing on a clear platform of class politics.

John has worked in a lone parents' community development project for the last 10 years. He is a committed voluntary community activist and is the chairperson of Finglas Childcare, a local group providing quality and affordable crèche facilities to people in Finglas. He had worked previously as a printer. An experienced political activist, he played a key role in the success of the Workers Party in Finglas during the 1980s. Unlike some of his former colleagues, John has remained committed to a radical democratic vision of socialism.

John is the candidate of the Irish Socialist Network, a democratic socialist and non-dogmatic marxist organisation mainly active in the Finglas area. He has an unrivalled campaigning record. Most recently he spent a fortnight in Mountjoy Jail for participating in a peaceful Anti-Bin Tax protest in Finglas South. He is also an active peace campaigner and was the main organiser in the Finglas area for the massive anti-war demo that was held in Dublin on February 15th of last year.

The ISN is participating in the local elections to encourage people to organise themselves in their communities and workplaces so that they can fight to win in the struggle for issues such as a housing programme that seriously tackles the waiting lists, an equitable health service and a decent education for all our kids. John is making one simple promise; that he will use his position to encourage and assist that empowerment process rather than pretending that councillors can implement change from above.

The vicious cuts being implemented by the Fianna Fail/PD Government in Finglas will be highlighted by John during this election. These include the run down of CE schemes which provide essential services to the people of Finglas as well as a pathway back to work for the unemployed. Such cuts will hurt the most vulnerable in our community and must be overturned.

In line with its vision of participating with others in building a broad party of the working class, the ISN hopes that it will be possible to put together a united slate of community and radical left candidates in the local elections. The ISN will participate in any such initiative either at a national or Dublin level.

John O'Neill, The Socialist Candidate

Working Class Communities first

John O Neill is the Irish Socialist Network candidate for Finglas in the local elections. Unlike the main parties, who are in the pockets of the rich, he will work on the City Council to put working class communities first.

Axe the Bin Tax

The Bin Tax is an unjust double tax on working people. The Fianna Fail/PD Government plan to bring back the Water Tax if they defeat our campaign. John was one of the eight Finglas residents who went to jail for protesting against the Bin Tax. Defeat the Bin Tax by joining the local Anti-Bin Tax Campaign and voting for John.

Reducing Crime

We propose three steps to deal with crime in our community:

1. Make the Gardai responsible to the local community and end Garda neglect of working class areas.

2. Implement a pilot Restorative Justice project in Finglas to put victims first and divert youngsters from crime.

3. Quality facilities to keep young people out of trouble.

People before profit

The government wants to hand over public services to companies who are only interested in profits. The City Council wants to privatise social housing. The Minister for Transport wants to give Dublin Bus to fat cats who will close routes in areas like Finglas. We oppose privatisation and support quality public services controlled by workers and the public.

Finglas for the People

Local people should be in charge of their own communities not politicians, council officials or businessmen. The proposed redevelopment of Finglas Village should include social housing for local people not yuppie apartments. The monopoly of Village property by a private company must be broken.

We also believe in

…an end to a two tier health system, restoration of the CE schemes, a massive public housing scheme to eliminate the housing lists, and equality for all; men and women, traveller and settled, black and white. We are working with other groups and individuals throughout the country to build a new party, that fight for the rights of working class communities and stands up to big business and corrupt politicians.

Action - Not Words

John lives and works in Finglas. He has worked in local community projects for many years and before that was a printer. He has an unrivalled campaigning record. He spent a fortnight in Mountjoy for taking part in an Anti-Bin Tax protest in Finglas South. He was also the main Finglas organiser of the massive anti-war demo held in Dublin last February.

John's Personal Pledges:

1. “I won’t make a deal with the parties of the rich: Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the P.D.’s. I will try to build an alliance of socialist/community councillors.”

2. “I will only take half my council expenses. I will donate the rest to the ISN to campaign for working class rights.”