Annette Mooney (United Left Alliance)

candidate Dáil election

Dear Donal,

Thank you for your email.

I should point out that the United Left Alliance is unlikely to be in government as we are not in favour of joining a Fine Gael, or Fianna Fail-led government, as these parties have caused the problems we have today. However, we would like to work with other left-wing parties and progressive individuals and groups to bring in progressive legislation, including on the issue of trafficking which you have raised.

It is very sad that, while this 8 March marks 100 years of International Women´s Day, Ireland has become a pole of attraction for the horrific trade in (usually) women and girls. I think it is fair to say that the Gardai have made some improvements in this area in the last year - primarily due to the investigative journalism of Jamie Smyth and his stories about Latvian women. However, as you point out, the problem is that trafficked women are all-too often treated as criminal themselves (including by members of the Gardai).

Beyond the issue of trafficking, I would like to see an amnesty for anyone in the asylum seeking system for 5 years - that they are given residency rights and permitted to work. I would also oppose the Immigration, Residence & Protection Bill (which, although it has fallen now as the Dail has been dissolved, is likely to surface again with the new government - and while it tinkers with the issue of trafficking as an aside, it also criminalises any immigrant for a minor offence, like an unpaid parking fine, and leaves them open to a deportation order).

In short I would like to see a radical reform of the immigration system, so that it is a fair system where people are not treated as pariahs simply for wanting to buildg a better life for their children.

For these and other reasons, I very much hope that you vote no. 1 for me on Friday. However, the election is just the beginning and if we want to see these sorts of radical changes, we need to build a real people´s movement - that makes space for people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds (including as you point you by printing information in other languages). I hope you´ll get in touch again after the election to see how you can work with the United Left Alliance, and other progressive groups and individuals to try to bring about these changes.

Best wishes,

Annette