COPE Galway has written to all of the election candidates in Galway West and East, urging them to commit to commit to a fairer society for its most vulnerable individuals.
COPE has made a number of policy recommendations for the upcoming election which centre of tackling homelessness, responding to domestic abuse, and supporting older people.
“People across Galway and throughout the country have an opportunity to vote for candidates offering real and constructive solutions to the range of challenges we as a community and society face,” Martin O’Connor of COPE said.
“We ask that people use their vote wisely to help achieve a more equal and fairer society where everyone is valued and no one is left behind.”
COPE Galway works with and supports people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, women and children experiencing or who have experienced domestic abuse and older people who experience isolation and disadvantage in our community at a local level across Galway.
The key policy requests made by COPE to 2020 election candidates in their three main areas of concern are:
Housing
- A commitment to a constitutional referendum within the lifetime of the next government which would enshrine the right to housing for all.
- The construction of new social housing to end the reliance on private rented accommodation for people who cannot afford their own home.
- Protections for people in rented accommodation through the enforcement and extension of rent pressure zones.
Domestic Abuse
- Ensuring that woman and children are not forced to live in dangerous situations due to not having anywhere to go.
- Begin a process of ensuring that a least one place of refuge exists per 10,000 members of the population.
Older People
- Increasing the availability of home care as an alternative to going into a nursing home on a statutory basis.
Ireland’s next general election will take place on Saturday, January 8, the first weekend election in over a century.
The full range of policy recommendations made by COPE can be seen at copegalway.ie/election2020.
