Cavan-Belturbet MD Candidates: Damien Brady (SF)

A fireman who also works with Irish Water, the dad of three is from Ballyconnell and is married to wife Vanessa. He is a member of the James Crossan/Jim McElhinney Templeport/Ballyconnell Cumann, and previously served a member of Cavan County Council from 2009 until the 2019 local election, when he was one of three Sinn Féin representatives to lose their seat.

How do you unwind?

I’m a fireman, I’m involved in a lot of community groups, I’m really deeply rooted in my community, but outside that I go for a swim or to the gym to keep myself fit. Its good head space, and gives me time to relax.

Why should people vote for you?

I was a councillor for 10 years. I’ve a proven track record during that time of hard work and working hard for the people. My employment takes me daily from Dowra and Blacklion down to Killeshandra and Belturbet, and so I meet with and listen to people on the ground daily. I know the issues affecting people, and if I get elected, I’ll fight for them tooth and nail again.

What will you do to address housing supply?

Its one of the biggest issues on the doorsteps at the moment. Housing has to be addressed nationally first, and locally second. I raised the issue on numerous occasions when I was a councillor that the local authority needs to have pockets of land in towns and villages read to go to building housing on, and the council itself needs to be building more houses. I know ourselves, my own daughter is building a house, and the costs are unreal. So it had to be addressed for all. Stop the vulture funds buying up everything.

Has Ireland taken in enough refugees?

Definitely yes. It has, because I think a mess has been made of this. We were obliged to take in an amount of refugees, but at the minute we have too many. Nothing was put in place. We have overcrowding in hospitals, we can talk about housing again. We have to look after our own people first. Housing, health, crèches and the schools. The government have done nothing to deal with the influx of people coming into this country and it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

What is your main campaigning issues?

Health and well-being. Mental health is very close to my heart. There is not enough being done for people our there. Back in 2017 my own brother lost his live though suicide. There are certainly other issues, housing of course, but health and well-being, resources for youth in towns and villages, we need that as well. Community safety is another. Gardaí and CCTV. I was the first to raise the CCTV issue in the council. In Ballyconnell we have cameras sitting, bought and paid for, and we can’t put them up because of GDPR. Those issues needs addressing.

Should the biodiversity/ climate crises be at the very top of the council agenda?

I wouldn’t say at the very top, but certainly kept on the agenda with everything else. I’m out in farming communities every day. There is over regulation there, inspections and everything else. No one knows it better than the farmers, they’re keepers of the countryside. They should be consulted with. One of the things that can’t be done in this country is calendar farming. Closed seasons for spreading slurry is wrong. We have to move away from this like this. They’re penalising a small country like Ireland for stuff that’s going on elsewhere. You have coal mines opening every day in China and they’re blaming the cattle in Cavan. When the farmers do well, everyone does well. But its an industry on its knees with regulation at the moment.

Who in a political sphere has influenced you the most?

[Former councillor] Charlie Boylan, a man I really admire. If I get elected again, and am half the politician he was, I’d be delighted. Pauline Tully another one, and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, great people who have helped me, and who have the people at their heart.