Election 2020: Statement and Questions for candidates

Election time provides one of the few opportunities when voluntary groups can put their case before candidates and ask for their comments. Men’s Voices did this in the 2016 election and it proved fruitful in that a few TDs who gave positive responses later arranged for us to make a presentation in Leinster House before Oireachtas members. Not a great deal has happened since then to improve the lot of men. We did make a presentation last year at hearings before the Justice committee on the issue of Reform of the Family Law and it remains to be seen whether meaningful changes in the law will be enacted by the next government on foot of the report of that committee.

But many other inequalities remain as glaring as ever.
We decided to carry out a similar exercise on this occasion. Below is an Election Statement and Questions which we sent to as many candidates as we could find addresses for. Following that we print the responses we received so far. We will continue to add new ones as they come in.

Dear Candidate,
Below is an Election Statement prepared by the group mensvoicesireland centring on issues of major concern to men and boys. This has been sent to all candidates.
We ask you to please read this Statement and reply to the two questions with which it concludes. We would also welcome any further comments you may wish to make in your reply.
There is a link to our website below.
Thank you and best wishes.

ELECTION STATEMENT AND QUESTIONS

There are many issues of inequality consistently excluded from the national equality conversation. These issues concern the condition of men and boys.
This absence sends a loud and powerfully negative message to all citizens that the concerns of men and boys are not worthy of consideration. This, combined with the generally negative message on men and masculinity in much of the media, contributes to a lowering of self-esteem amongst boys and men, leading to a host of social and psychological problems.
This neglect covers a whole range of areas. We mention just two.
1. In the area of domestic violence alone, DV, the imbalance in funding for male victims is enormous. In answer to a Parliamentary Question we got the following information:
Funding to Anyman, the men’s support service, represented 1.4% of the total €17 million of funding provided by Tusla to Domestic Violence services in 2017.
There are more than 20 refuges for women, not a single one for men. There is not a single centre for male victims in the whole of the Dublin area, where about one million people live. The nearest one is in Navan.

Of the €17 million provided by Tusla to Domestic Violence services in 2017 Anyman received 1.4%

2. A core underlying factor affecting all particular issues is that there is no nationwide advocacy group or counterpart of the NWC for men, with a permanent office. This is a huge drawback when it comes to establishing a presence, lobbying politicians and state agencies, taking up issues with the media, doing research and making appearances before Oireachtas committees.

WE ASK:

1) As a candidate, do you agree that the issues outlined are deserving of urgent attention?

2) If elected, will you speak out publicly on these issues?

Link to Mensvoices website: http://www.mensvoicesireland.com
Email: mensvoicesireland@gmail.com

RESPONSES RECEIVED

Pat the Cope Gallagher TD
As a candidate, do you agree that the issues outlined are deserving of urgent attention? YES

If elected, will you speak out publicly on these issues? YES
Thank you for your email.
Regards
Pat the Cope

Bobby Aylward TD
Dear Jonathon,
Thank you for your email.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying in principal and I understand the importance of issue affecting men of all ages in today’s society. Men’s mental health is an issue I am passionate about and I will happily seek to raise issues in respect of that following the election, all going well and I am re-elected of course!
Always good to meet with you in the past Jonathon and I will look at this issue again after the election should I be returned to office.
Best regards,
Bobby

Cathal Crowe Mayor of Clare
Thank you for your email Jonathan.
If elected to Dáil Éireann I would be more than happy to champion your causes.
Please stay in touch
Cllr. Cathal Crowe Fianna Fail

Deirdre Heney Fianna Fáil Councillor
Yes and Yes are my two responses.Kind regards,
Deirdre.
Deirdre Heney
Fianna Fáil Councillor/Group Leader on Dublin City Council and Chair of North Central Area Committee,

Seán Haughey TD
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for your email on behalf of Men’s Voice’s Ireland.
I am very happy to say yes to the two questions you have posed and I look forward to keeping in touch with you about these matters.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Seán Haughey TD
FF Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs

Frank O’ Rourke TD
Dear Jonathan,
Many thanks for your email and Election Statement.
One of my first actions, when I was elected in 2016, was to invite a MensVoicesIreland group from my constituency of north Kildare, into Dáil Éireann, to give a briefing to Oireachtas members on the issues concerning boys and men.
In response to your questions:
1. I absolutely agree that the issues outlined in your election statement are deserving of urgent attention.
2. If re-elected, I will continue to speak out publicly on these issues.

Yours sincerely,
Frank O’ Rourke TD

TP O’ Reilly: FG candidate Cavan Monaghan
Jonathan
Thanks very much for your email.
The issues you have outlined do indeed deserve discussion and when I am elected, I will be more than happy to meet with you to explore this area further.
Kind Regards,
TP O’ Reilly

Noel French FG candidate Meath West
Jonathan,
I have much sympathy with these views.
Noel French

David Cullinane TD Waterford

A Chara

Thank you for your email. I have sent it on to David.

With regards

Conor

Willie O’Dea TD Limerick

Thank you Jonathan

Yours sincerely
Willie O’Dea T.D.

Senator Ged Nash Labour Louth
Dear Jonathan
Many thanks for your email in relation to MensVoicesIreland.
I do agree that this issue needs attention and support. Labour has a long track record on equality, for men as well as women. We note the invitation by Dr Catherine Day to men’s organisations to participate in the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality. This will report back within the year, and Labour will pay careful attention to the Assembly’s recommendations in relation to equality for men and boys.
I will certainly raise issues such as the lack of domestic services for men, and other gender issues, including fathers’ access to their children.
I do hope that this answers your questions. Once again, many thanks for your email and please keep me informed of the issues that concern you.
Very best wishes
Ged