Interview: Francis O’Toole, Aontú Candidate for Tipp North

For the general election, I have decided to conduct a candidate interview series with the candidates seeking to represent Tipperary in the 34th Dáil. I initially hoped to arrange to do proper interviews with as many candidates as possible, but in the interest of giving the candidates equal time and opportunity to respond, I’ve emailed them each ten questions. Nine of the ten questions are the same for all candidates, with one question (#9) tailored to the candidate. All candidates of the same party were given the same tailored question. I will be publishing responses in the order I receive them.

First up: Francis O’Toole, Aontú candidate for Tipp North.

1. For the benefit of voters who may be unfamiliar with you and your background, please introduce yourself.

I am Francis O’Toole, living in Templemore Town. I am delighted to be selected by Aontú to run in North Tipperary. I like the philosophy of Aontú to protect life, stand for economic justice, bring accountability to government and strive for a 32-county republic. I am a graduate of St. Pat’s, now MIC Thurles. 

I am a secondary school teacher, guidance counsellor and psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience. I am a proud father of two young adults.

2. Why are you running?

I want to build a community that actively supports our young people. I believe in creating accessible and vibrant spaces for youth, including well-resourced counselling services, youth cafés, and youth facilities. 

As a champion of lifelong learning, I want to expand support in education by advocating for additional Special Education Needs Assistants in schools, abolishing college fees, and ensuring that every school provides free meals because, as I believe, “no child should be hungry in school”.

I will campaign for proper community facilities, community halls and sports pitches in North Tipperary. 

3. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing North Tipp right now?

Housing, housing and housing.

4. What’s an issue in North Tipp you think has been overlooked?

Mental health and family support services are central to my campaign. I aim to enhance mental health facilities and secure improved healthcare services for all.

5. Tell me about a political hero of yours.

Tipperary man Daniel Breen, who was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.

6. Much has been made about how we should spend the €13 billion windfall from the Apple tax judgement. But the current government has been running surpluses for years, so we already have a lot of money we’re not spending.

How do you think we should be spending our existing surplus?

Housing and mental health.

7. Every single municipality in Tipp was in the bottom quarter of municipalities in the country for new house builds from 2012 to 2023, with Clonmel in dead last. The number of people on the social housing list has grown to over 3500.

Why do you think Tipp suffers from such chronic undersupply?

Bad government policy of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

8. If the next government calls a vote to abolish the triple lock on deploying Irish troops abroad, how will you vote?

No.

9. Following the final report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, it is likely that legislation to allow people with terminal illnesses to seek assisted suicide will be put forward during the next Dáil. Your party leader Peadar Tóibín opposes assisted suicide, calling it a slap in the face to terminally ill and disabled people whose needs the state is failing to meet. Yet many terminally ill and disabled people also want the right to choose the time and manner of their death, rather than have it dictated to them. Questions of dignity and autonomy seem to cut both ways.

Will you oppose all assisted suicide legislation, unconditionally?

Yes, I believe in the right to life. I believe it is the responsibility of the government and community to put in more support for positive aging people and those suffering from any kind of terminal illness or disability . 

10. Tell me about one thing you’ve done to support a community in North Tipp.

I worked for five years in Thurles building community, supporting the unemployed through FÁS projects and organised many summer camps for teenagers.