GE2020: Ask the Louth candidate: David Bradley

The Dundalk Democrat put six questions to all 15 candidates standing in the Louth constituency for General Election 2020.

Two specific questions in each of the three categories, crime, healthcare and climate change were put to the candidates.

Seven out of the 15 candidates responded. Over the next seven articles we share their responses.

The questions were as follows and the responses from Independent candidate David Bradley are below:

Crime

• What resources would you provide for people in Louth to keep them from drifting into criminality?
• Do you favour decriminalisation of drugs as part of a range of measures to combat addiction? 

Environment

• Would you support the idea of making school buses mandatory for all school goers who do not cycle of walk to school - as a means of combating climate change, promote healthy lifestyles and cutting down on rush hour traffic?
• What public transport measures would you implement in Louth to combat climate change? - would it include free public transport for all? What investment would you make towards electric buses and when would it happen?

Healthcare

• Would you end the use of agency healthcare workers, including nurses? Timeline?
• What facilities would you make available in Louth to help fight mental illness and help promote good mental health?

David Bradley's responses:

Crime

Q1: I would campaign for finance for more sporting facilities and self-development courses to motivate those who may not be motivated at present, to bring out the gifts in people that for many currently remain hidden.

Q2: No - I never believe these initiatives to be effective. They do not combat addiction but instead risk placing drug taking into a similar level of acceptance as alcohol and tobacco.

Environment

Q1: Yes I would, but those who can AFFORD it would all have to pay. This the sort of thing that wealthy parents who, regardless of income, receive child benefit could finance, but those who genuinely cannot afford mandatory school transport should not be expected to pay. 

But I would also encourage both parents and children to walk wherever possible - there is no hardship in walking and it provides countless health benefits.

Q2: I would campaign for electric trolleybuses  to replace urban motor buses.

They are common throughout Europe and many countries beyond Europe and while overhead wiring needs to be in place, there are no requirements for the disruption and inconvenience of tracks being  laid as was the case with Luas type trams.

Healthcare

Q1: The HSE is in such unprecedented disarray that it’s premature even to think about this! It would be great to get it all right but we need a new Minister for Health first to start a definite plan going forward.

Q2: I would campaign for FREE consultations regardless of means of income to anyone seeking  help for any form of mental illness including anxiety and depression.

So many suffer in silence but extensive promotion of available help needs to be implemented.