Recycle or Respray: Stephen O'Shea

With his appearance on the Fine Gael ticket many voters, otherwise undecided or reluctant to vote Fine Gael, now feel his presence brings credibility, weight and true opposition to Fianna Fail.

But, there is a local, negative impact.  As we all know, voters in Ireland use local elections and all non-national elections to vent their anger at the government.  Fair enough, it reflects the ways of democracy.  However an anti-government vote in our local elections makes no reference to either a) the past performance of our incumbent local councillors or b) their proposed agendas for the next four years if they are elected.

Now, with the entrance of George Lee, some of our country’s local councillors are riding high on the George Lee Effect.  They can expect to win votes, not on their past performance but on an anti-government / pro George Lee vote.  Our local elections are the first real opportunity we have to voice our extreme anger and frustration with Fianna Fail and the government.  Why wouldn’t we take it?

Of course it is hard to expect people to remove politics from the local sphere – but in truth, local elections are about local issues.  Local issues impact our lives in many ways, big and small.  Councillors who have not performed should not be allowed to benefit from either the George Lee bounce or the government’s underperformance.  It’s important not to undermine the role of the local councillors: their dedication to local and community issues better allow our TDs get on with the serious issues of running the country.

Bad lands Stephen O'Shea

Therefore, when we vote in the local elections – ie, for councillors, we must look at the past performance of the candidates, or in the case of new candidates, their programme for local government.  Lazy and ineffectual councillors of all parties should not be re-elected based on their party affiliation.  Issues such as the re-zoning of schools for commercial development, allocation of housing, water quality, managing our green and derelict spaces rest with our local councils and councillors.  For me, running as an Independent candidate in the Dundrum local election one of my key issues is the potential rezoning of the Holy Cross School – central to our Dundrum community for nearly 4 decades.  The recent development plan, as proposed by the existing council, has zoned the area encompassing the school for major town centre commercial development.  In our case, the council is run by Fine Gael. Are we voting on this issue or are we voting anti-government, pro-George Lee”?  “Celebrity or school”?  What’s important to you?

It’s last chance saloon. Vote in the local elections for candidates who will best represent the local community interests.  Let’s not muddy the water with national issues.  We will have our say shortly on who has the right to represent us nationally.

The Drop Zone for Notre Dame School. Stephen O'Shea

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My natural curiosity overpowered the tired feet and pangs for a bag of chips and a beer.  I headed down and around and came across a house I’d never known existed, tucked away from sight and sounds of the bustle of suburban Dundrum. There were all these people sitting around having a natter and a beer.  Too late to back away now.  My heavy plodding turned the crowd to face me.  I said my piece – I’m your Independent Candidate in the upcoming Dundrum elections.  They were as surprised as I was by the home owner’s response.  “In the 30 years I’ve lived here I’ve never been canvassed before”.  “There are 6 votes here but my Aunt is from Co. Laois”.

To coin a cliché, sometimes it’s worth going the extra mile!

Stephen O'Shea's use of social media

I joined the political race only a few months ago, as a candidate in the Dundrum local elections. My motivation is less about the politics and more about our local, community issues.  I’ve been involved in various community and resident groups over the last couple of years.  I’ve despaired at some of the decisions that have sneaked past us – a 90 metre high proposed hotel as part of Phase 2 of the Dundrum shopping centre development, that will dominate our landscape and overshadow our streets and view of the Dublin mountains, for instance.

When I say sneaked past, that’s not to claim there was no notice that this was what was included in the planning documents (it was all there for any resident to review and raise an objection) but our individual and collective lack of care and attention meant a less than rigorous exchange with the council and the developer.

From that point I actively engaged with the local council and resident groups: I am a founding member of DIG (Dundrum Interest Group) which subsequently raised over 60 submissions to the Phase 2 Development.  Change comes through political activism and action.  It’s hard as an individual to take on long established institutions and a strong, if sometimes, unwieldy bureaucratic structure.  Many give up in the process.

For me, it was the catalyst to increase my involvement.  I believe one needs to be on the inside to drive change.  That’s my history to joining the political race.  I am an Independent candidate in the upcoming local elections, in the Dundrum ward.

But, back to today’s topic.  The odds are stacked against me:

• I am new to politics

• I only entered the race on sign-up day, 23 May, 2009

• I am an Independent Candidate, without the power or resources of a party machine behind me.

• I have no funding other than my own cheque book.

• I am known to a section of our community, but not the vast majority, a total electorate of 29,000+-

My task therefore, to build a public awareness and profile for myself with the electorate to gain in the region of 1500-2000 first preference votes, is substantial.  There are several dimensions to my campaign, one being the use of social networking and the new social media tools.  Whilst I’ve learnt my way around the planning process in the last couple of years, I knew little about social networking and how to build an online presence back in April.  I am not the Facebook generation and I wasn’t born with a text thumb.  But, as an aspiring public representative it behoves me to learn, and particularly, to tune into the needs and issues of other generations, younger and older than I.  Like everybody else in this time of extraordinary economic recession, I too can only benefit from upskilling myself.  And, we’ve all heard the story of the marketing (as opposed to making) of Obama who used social networking to phenomenal effect, in his bid for US presidency.

What have I done online?
In the act of self publicity I’ve:

• Posted a google profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/sosdundrum
• Joined linked in: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenoshea
• Set up my profile on: www.micandidate.eu
• Diligently posted regular, new blogs, Stories from the Campaign Trail: http://dundrum.wordpress.com/
• Commented on other political blog sites
• Set up a twitter account and tweeted daily: sosdundrum
• Followed and observed what my fellow candidates are doing in this space

I don’t have a FaceBook presence and I haven’t posted any political broadcasts to YouTube yet.

I’m not a marketing professional and my efforts have been that of a novice so I will not claim to have done everything right.  My linkedin profile, for instance, is only 50% complete. My blog site is a simple wordpress.com tool. It has inbuilt analytics and daily views statistics.

Measurement and success
You don’t have to be a marketing professional to know that you must measure your efforts and re-assess your campaign and activities based on the outcome.  I have done both.  I am now in the very last days of the campaign and will be focusing my efforts on offline activities, in old fashioned words, door to door canvassing.

But, first, to take a deeper look at what I’ve done and how successful I’ve been.

Twitter
I set-up my twitter account roughly 3 months ago, before I declared my candidacy: not a long time I know.  My start was slow, not much more than tweeting with my advisor and friend, Una Coleman, www.codegaconsultingcom. At the point I decided to run for the local election I then developed my communications strategy.  Securing first preference votes is not just about knocking on doors and meeting the electorate: it’s first about analysing the ward to understand where I am most likely to achieve those first preference votes, and how second preferences will be distributed among the candidates.  I used an excellent and experienced tallyman to help me with that.  But, that story is for another day.

I also decided to devote a number of hours a week to off and online communications and media coverage.  Depending on the results of my efforts, I would adjust the focus as the campaign progressed.

How I got on
Let me have a look first at twitter.  There are now somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 people on twitter in Ireland and growing.  At this point it’s growing rapidly, though not yet exponentially.  The demographics are 30+, mostly professional and a strong emphasis on usage for professional information sharing and building an online business based network.  There should be a lot of potential voters in this group.

Once I broadly understood the mechanics, the 140 character “What are you doing”, the etiquette, particularly rules about self-publicising and blatant selling (which, incidentally I think is the primary focus of many users like it or not), the objectives for my campaign, how to reflect and build my “voice” and “brand”, I started in earnest.  I set up Tweet Deck to help me “find” people and groups who a) are interested in politics, in my constituency, interested in my community issues, b) are similarly running in the elections to learn from them and what they are doing – that included looking at what’s happening outside Ireland.

I set up some key words to automatically select people.  Within a very short period I’d built up nearly 1,000 that I was following.  At one point, I felt like a twitter stalker.  As one tweeter said, “I mentioned Dundrum and the next thing I had a politician following me. What’s that about?”  Within a few weeks, I had some 200 following me, using I suspect the same key word selection principal.  I think I can safely surmise that some within that list would have limited interest in me, my politics or local issues.

How much time per day have I spent to build up this eclectic mix of followers, now numbering around the 300? I would say on average 30 minutes.  How many of these are voters in my constituency?  I might be able to ascertain that by reviewing each one’ profile and doing some further online research.  Let’s say 10 minutes per person – that would work out at 50 hours – a good week’s work.  How many of those that are in my constituency are likely to vote for me?  At this point I cannot say but I’d reckon the percentage would be low.

I would suggest that spending that 50 hours canvassing the areas I’ve identified as likely to win me first preference votes would be time far better spent.

What twitter has done however, is that it has got me high up on the google ranking for Stephen O’Shea.

Blogging
I gather there are something like 4,000 active bloggers in Ireland, 133m worldwide.  Some of the reasons people are using blogging are to a) put a face to their business – a human and interactive dimension to their websites, b) a forum and tool to speak their minds on any subject of interest to them c) attract media attention, d) stay in touch with family and friends and share what’s happening in their lives in a public way, e) meet and connect with people with similar interests and views.

A blogsite , therefore and in theory, is an essential tool in my efforts to build my online presence, my brand, share my policies and opinions with my electorate, help put a face to the candidate.

What have I done?
Well, I’ve set up the site, outlined my campaign priorities and platform, posted stories from the campaign trail, registered on other sites like www.irishblogs.ie I’ve posted comments on other blog sites, as relevant, reviewed what my opponents are doing (for some, that’s nothing). { Ross O’Mullane, founder of www.unitedminds.ie and candidate for the Dublin South By-Election has also expressed opinions on the role of online vs offline campaigning: to interpret him, I say he has concluded that much of this online effort is irrelevant to his campaign efforts}.

Like twitter, I know I have a lot more to do to refine my pitch, make my site more accessible, become better known to other political bloggers and online media.  But again, it is about the value of spending my time on that versus door to door canvassing, handing out leaflets at the Luas station, talking to people at Supervalue, after mass and all the other community access points.

The Obama effect (or should it be George Lee)
I would say I have spent on average 4 to 5 hours a week over the last several weeks on my blogsite.  Regrettably, traffic to the site has been minimal – myself, my family and friends, a few faithful followers and a few interested passers by.  Will I pick up any extra votes?  Not enough to justify the effort.

When I started my online campaign it was of course an experiment.  You’d want to have been buried deep in some bog (or blog) to not have heard of the success of Barak Obama’s online efforts, pulling in swathes of minority and young voters who have never voted before and using his online communication as an extraordinarily successful fund raising platform.

I don’t pretend to be Obama like and the circumstances are not easily replicable.  Despite being an outsider, he had the backing of an enormous party machine.  His minority status may have helped garner him votes with his fellow African Americans, who feel disenfranchised from the main stream politics and wouldn’t otherwise come out to vote or get involved.

We don’t use online tools as frequently or as widely as in the US.  Our access to broadband isn’t as good as in the States. There are lots of reasons why the Obama comparison isn’t fully valid or replicable (as yet).  There are many out there who are better able to articulate the reasons: Mark Coughlan for one: http://markcoughlan.com/

What’s more interesting for me is how George Lee’s appearance on the Fine Gael ticket looks like encouraging many voters, otherwise undecided or reluctant to vote Fine Gael, now feel his presence brings credibility, weight and true opposition to Fianna Fail.

But, there is a local, negative impact.  As we all know, voters in Ireland use local elections and all non-national elections to vent their anger at the government.  Fair enough, it reflects the ways of democracy.  However an anti-government vote in our local elections makes no reference to either a) the past performance of our incumbent local councillors or b) their proposed agendas for the next four years if they are elected.

The relevance to my review of the role of social networking and social media tools is that George Lee’s entrance into the race will likely have far more impact on all the candidates than anything they have done online.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I would say the following:

• Engaging with social networking and use of the social media tools, blogging, twitter, will have no impact on my current campaign.

• I have upskilled myself and become aware of a whole new world out there.

• I suspect it takes at a minimum 6 months focused and targeted effort to begin to build one’s “brand” and understand how to use the media effectively and probably more like a year to be able to effectively communicate one’s message to a contingent of voters.

• There is a lot of hype around twitter and blogging: they do not help make us better people or become more engaged with our communities or make us politicians better at our jobs.

If elected, I will continue the experiment over the next 4 years and analyse how political communication trends change during that period.

Urban farming. Stephen O'Shea Independent Candidate Dundrum Locl Elections

On last night’s canvas I came across an alternative front garden in my Churchtown constituency.  This was no cottage garden festooned with herbaceous borders and Spring colours or a Celtic Tiger landscaped urban cool car port.  It was something entirely different – a display in precision and elegance with beautifully dug trenches and carefully planted potato crops!  Yes, I did do a double-take.  It seems our urban farmer is the talk of the street.  But, she is doing no more than following a world-wide phenomenon.

The Irish Times headline on April 13th 2009 read  “Public interest in growing own vegetables surges”. “Requests from members of the public for information on how to grow their own vegetables to help beat the recession has led Teagasc to publish a practical guide on the subject.”  “A Guide to Vegetable Growing is a response to the huge rise in the number of queries received by the agriculture and food development authority”. Stephen Alexander, a Teagasc vegetable specialist at Kinsealy, Co Dublin, who has written the booklet, said both the authority and the Department of Agriculture had noticed a “major upsurge” in calls for information”.  Click here to down load Teagasc’s guide to vegetable growing.
“Most of these calls were not from farmers but from the general public, even though there were some calls received from farmers as well”.
“Up until about 20 years ago most farmers had a vegetable patch at their homes but that now has also changed and few farmers grow their own vegetables.”

The US First Lady Michelle Obama is going to turn part of the South Lawn into an organic vegetable garden to provide food for first family in the White House.  Domestic horticulture is back!  In 2009, 43 million U.S. households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, berries, and herbs, according to a recent report from the National Gardening Association (NGA). That’s up 19 percent — from 36 million — in 2008 and represents a spend of some $2 billion on growing vegetables.

Britons spent around £62 million on seeds in 2007, £46 million of which was spent on seeds or edible plants, according to the Horticultural Trades Association.

Thompson Morgan and Suttons Seeds – major British seed suppliers — have noticed a rising trend in the past five years and say they have seen a jump towards vegetables from flower seed sales.  I’m afraid I don’t have the Irish figures to hand. Perhaps my Green party colleagues might care to leave a comment.

 One of my key election issues (see My Priorities (Detail)) is extending the Council’s allotment scheme and taking more green spaces in charge.

Did you know that under the Allotments Act 1926, your Council has an obligation to provide allotments?

The Council has an allotment scheme in Goatstown, presently rezoned for a new road. The Council needs to be encouraged to expand the current limited scheme and to take advantage of the downturn in the property book.  By freeing up derelict land, previously earmarked for development, the Council can provide more allotments and other community facilities.  We have derelict land and green spaces all over our community – at best they are an eyesore – at worst they attract vermin and unwanted late night partying!

Nobody wants derelict land left idle until the next property boom. 

Check out my photo gallery for some snap shots of derelict land, boarded up houses, and wasted green spaces: http://picasaweb.google.com/stephenoshea6/DropBox

Dropping Well Rhino- too much to drink?

It was a wet week on the campaign trail and the spirits of the voters were down.  Bad weather, bad government, gloomy economic forecasts.  Not much to cheer.  George Lee did his best to add some optimism, smiling at us from atop the poles (if you’ll forgive the pun).   But, even he couldn’t allay my fears around the possible re-zoning of the Holy Cross School.  I duly turned up at the Fine Gael public meeting and addressed my questions on the issue to George.  The answer was vague.  But that’s ok.  As I keep saying let’s vote local on the local issues and national in the bi-election.  George doesn’t have to concern himself with the Holy Cross School: I do as do George’s Fine Gael councilor candidates.

But, on a lighter (or more appropriately, heavier) note I couldn’t help noticing the sad fate of the Dropping Well Rhino, toppled over in the river.  Had it had too much to drink perhaps?  Was it unable to stay on its legs during the deluges of the week?  Where is it now?  Has anybody had any sightings of our familiar beast?  All answers on a post card to myself – the man for the local issues.

Where's the Rhino? Stephen O'Shea

The article is reprinted in full here.

Rezoning no threat to school

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has down played fears over the possible rezoning of the lands at the Holy Cross National School in Dundrum to a mixed use development in a new Draft County Development Plan.

A spokesperson for the council said that a rezoning of the lands at Holy Cross would in no way “suggest that the school is under “threat”

The council made the comments after Independent local election candidate for the Dundrum Ward, Stephen O’Shea, said he was extremely concerned about a potential change in the zoning of the land where the school is situated.  “The issue I have, although it does say education a part of the zoning, is that it allows the developer to put pressure on the school because it is zoned well to suit major town development”.

However, a spokesperson for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said zoning the lands where the school is situated as mixed use development is reasonable given its close proximity to Dundrum Town Centre.

“With the school’s close proximity to the Dundrum Town Centre, the council is proposing a mixed-use development zoning which is seen as reasonable zoning for the school and a coherent use of the land. There is no intent by the council to suggest that the school is under threat”.

According to the DLRCC spokesperson, Holy Cross School is currently zoned residential, which means a developer could at any time approach the school because it is not currently zoned institutional.

Meanwhile, the Principal of Holy Cross National School, Ultan Mac Mathun sai he agreed with the council. “The zoning as nothing to do with the school because the school has no intention of moving. It is not a concern for us. No matter what the land is zoned, Holy Cross has been here for a very long time in Dundrum and in Dundrum it will stay.”

But Stephen O’Shea says it is essential the land at the school is protected. “It is most important that it is protected and not part of a town centre – a school should be at the heart of a community; this increases the value of the site to potential developers and it doesn’t protect the school. Most schools are protected by being an institution, so this is no longer protected. We really need to save the school’s position.

I am calling on people to make submissions on it. It has to be done before July 3. Residents should go down to the council office in Dundrum beside the LUAS station and look at the plans”.

This article is a full reprint of a piece appearing in today’s, May 24, 2009, Dundrum Gazette.

Stephen O’Shea
Independent Candidate
Dundrum local elections

My photo (not in article) of Holy Cross School:

Check out all my photos of local issues:

http://picasaweb.google.com/stephenoshea6/DropBox#

This will be one of my first initiatives.  A similar scheme, part-funded by Dublin City Council, operates in Dublin North through Vantastic Charity:

www.vantastic.ie

This will make life easier for many in our community – not just the over 65s but their carers too.  This will be one of the issues that I will take up in my role as Councillor, should I be elected.

Though I’d like to feature high in the polls, I’m nowhere to be spotted on the poles! My campaign is more of the virtual sort.  I’m new to this virtual world but if Obama taught us a thing or two it’s the power of the online world.

How consequential is a poster campaign?  Will it persuade a voter to vote me.  Yes, we all want exposure.  And yes, it’s hard to get to everybody.  George Lee, in our bi-election, benefits from his huge profile through his fine career in RTE.  Some of us are less fortunate, especially the newbies like myself.  But, I rely on my work to-date and my proposed agenda of issues that impact our community.  Vote me, vote me.

Well, I can certainly get myself and my five children organised to find time to pop down to the shopping centre and lend a hand.   And that’s where I spent most of my afternoon, the children happily dispatched to our new Meadowbrook swimming pool.

Let me tell you, getting people to donate on behalf of Down Syndrome is a much easier challenge than canvassing the electorate’s first preference votes for the upcoming local elections.

It was a very enjoyable, if wet, afternoon.  I’m invigorated by the generosity of the ordinary folk of Dundrum, who despite the economic hardships many are facing, still dig deep and find the means of contributing to those less fortunate than themselves.

The children wanted to know if I’d been swimming with my clothes on.  Yes, it was wet out there.

To Michelle and her helpers, many thanks on all our behalves for generating your time and helping the vulnerable in our community.