Are you confident the Government won’t succumb to EU pressure to join an EU army?
Mark Mullan, Dublin
Independent European election candidate Mark Mullan isn’t convinced that our Government won’t succumb to EU pressure to join an EU army. As the only candidate with hands-on experience of dealing with the impact of war and terror, this is a topic he can speak about with authority. Mark has spent 20 years working with groups like the United Nations, Concern, UNICEF and the European Communities Humanitarian Office. Given their records, Mark says he is very aware that there will be pressure put on Fine Gael and he is not confident that they will successfully defend our neutrality. He doesn’t believe they have any backbone when it comes to standing up to other member states. Instead, he thinks they will blur the lines of what neutrality means.
Mark wants any EU funding towards our Defence Forces to be earmarked for peace-keeping projects under the United Nations. He feels it should also be used to give soldiers a fair wage. We have a proud tradition of being involved in peace-keeping missions. It’s the reason many around the world respect and trust us as a country. He feels any threat to our neutrality will leave us open to conflict. If we join an EU army there is real potential for terrorist attacks in Dublin. He insists he is genuinely concerned that the violence he has seen in other countries may become a reality in our country.
Mark says “Take it from someone who has witnessed the devastation in countries of conflict. We don’t want that in Ireland. Protecting our neutrality is a key priority of mine and it should be something everyone considers when they vote on May 24th. I am the only one who has seen first-hand the impact that can have and I will do everything in my power to prevent it happening here, if you let me.”
Why are future MEPs reluctant to work together on a “common ground” panel for Ireland?
Mark Mullan, Dublin
Independent European election candidate and humanitarian Mark Mullan is concerned at the lack of interest in joined-up thinking in Irish politics. If elected, Mark wants to set up a panel whereby Irish MEPs will meet and decide on issues that they can all agree upon, and go the European Parliament armed with the support of each other when these subjects are raised. Everyone, regardless of their party, will have at least one thing they can all agree on. This unity on key issues is badly needed when representing a small country.
Mark is concerned that a number of other candidates don’t seem keen on the idea. In particular, Ciaran Cuffe (Green Party) said he didn’t like the concept of a “Team Ireland”, or wearing a “green jacket”, when he feels he’s an internationalist. Mark has 20 years' experience in humanitarian work in other countries so he will never see them left behind, but he knows that doesn’t mean forsaking Ireland’s issues in the process.
Why are potential MEPs not jumping at the chance to fight together on key issues? This is one of the most important European elections due to the Brexit uncertainty that looms, but it seems our politics is continuing down the line of “business as usual”. We are most at-risk of a hard Brexit, and working together to protect our economy should be a priority. We need fresh voices and ideas in Brussels at a time when Ireland is facing the prospect of renegotiating its position within the EU.
Mark is confident that if elected, he will manage to find common ground with the other MEPs. It should be a concern to us all if our representatives are not eager to engage in joined-up thinking for the betterment of our country.
We need a Fair Settlement Scheme to help with housing, overcrowding and migration
Mark Mullan, Dublin
Independent European Parliament candidate for Dublin, Mark Mullan, is proposing a Fair Settlement Scheme to help deal with problems relating to overcrowding, housing and migration in both Ireland and across the EU. If elected, Mark wants funding for the plan to go towards reducing city density by rebuilding already-existing communities. The “recovery” we hear so much about has not spread evenly. Many people from rural areas have felt they must move to Dublin in search of work and a better quality of life. This had led to all sorts of problems such as overcrowding, skyrocketing rents and increased traffic. This in turn has a negative impact on our climate change efforts. These issues resonate with all major EU cities; therefore, Mark is suggestive making this a European-wide initiative.
Improving rural communities is of benefit to Dublin and the people of Ireland. No one is happy living in an overpopulated dense hub. Currently, the capital is suffering at the hands of companies who let landlords advertise their property for short stays - but big money. This should be a concern to us all. Landlords engaging with these companies aren’t adhering to planning permission or health and safety rules and the local authority has no means to regulate them. It also isolates students from the market because they don’t have that kind of money.
The Fair Settlement Scheme is also of benefit to migrants who come to Ireland in search of better life. For too long, we have been dumping these people in direct provision centres and rural areas with very few amenities. These people should be given the chance to engage with their new community but they can’t do that in towns surrounded by boarded-up buildings and ghost estates. Investment in these areas will transform the idea of “commuter towns” and give people a reason to want to live there. This means investing in housing, health and education services. If elected to the European Parliament, I want to sponsor, and be held accountable, for this EU-wide Fair Settlement Scheme.