Meet the candidates: Paul Bradley, Independent (Longford Westmeath)

Here is our Q&A with Mullingar-based Paul Bradley. He is running in Longford Westmeath as an Independent candidate, and said addressing the housing crisis is his top priority.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a first-time Independent non-party candidate running in the general election on Friday for Longford Westmeath. I am living in Mullingar for almost 10 years and I am a single Dad with one child.

I am self-employed, having transitioned from a trades background. I have also been working as a psychotherapist for over 20 years.

I believe we need radical political change to combat the many issues that are affecting Longford Westmeath.

What do you think should be done to solve the housing crisis?

Immediately declare a national housing emergency. Take the case of young adults; the best and brightest of our nation are the young people of Ireland.

This housing crisis continues to hinder young adults from starting independent lives. Close to 500,000 young adults are forced to live at home with their parents. That's completely unacceptable.

You cannot solve a housing problem with the same kind of thinking that created the problem in the first place. That’s why you need to vote independent. Right now, the same political parties are churning out the same empty promises they were offering four years ago. Promises and slogans won't build houses.

What should be done to address the economic concerns that many people face due to the rising costs of groceries, insurance, etc?

Once-off payments, while helpful, will only go some of the way. We need more targeted solutions to help the most vulnerable in society especially the elderly and the one in five children who are suffering poverty deprivation.

Would you be interested in doing a deal with larger parties and other Independents to form a new Government?

Political accountability must form the basis of any future agreement for governance in Ireland. Manifestos must be made legally binding. Politicians must either stand and deliver on their promises, or be held to account. At present there is no political accountability in Ireland.

Independents are not bound by the large scale insular self interest and group think displayed by the bigger parties.

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

There have been some positives, but the negatives far outweigh the positives. Zero marks for housing crisis, children's hospital costs, and the €335,000 bike shed.

Zero marks for inadequate resourcing of mental health services. Longford Westmeath child and adolescent mental health issues, such as self-harming and suicidal ideation, are off the scale