IRELAND AM TAKES A FRESH LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF IRISH POLITICS BY HOLDING A YOUNG LEADERS DEBATE

TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Tuesday 15th February 2011 

Ireland AM will interview the heads of all the young political parties tomorrow morning in a bid to see exactly what lies in store for the future of politics in Ireland

They will debate issues such as economy and employment, education and health

They will be questioned on how they feel their senior parties are performing in the election campaign, and what they would do differently if they were part of their senior party

Tune into the Young Leaders Debate on Ireland AM this Wednesday 16th February 2011 at 7am on TV3

Tomorrow morning, TV3’s Ireland AM will spend the first hour of the show interviewing the heads of all the young political parties, in a bid to see exactly what lies in store for the future of politics in Ireland. The Young Leaders, who will be joining the Ireland AM team on the couch, include President of Young Fine Gael, Eric Keane (23), Chairman of Ógra Fianna Fáil, Thomas Byrne (33), National Secretary of Labour Youth, Colm Lawless (18), Ógra Shinn Féin, Ruadhán Mac Aodháin (27) and Ógra Ghlas, Young Green Party representative, Michael O’Callaghan.

They will debate issues such as economy and employment, education and health. They will also be questioned on how they feel their senior parties are performing in the election campaign, and what they would do differently if they were part of their senior party.

President of Young Fine Gael, Eric Keane
Eric Keane, aged 23, originally comes from the Burren, Co. Clare but he now resides in Dublin where he practices as an accountant. He joined Fine Gael in 2002 and Young Fine Gael in 2004 when he joined the University of Limerick branch. Eric has previously served as Director of Policy and National Secretary of Young Fine Gael. Eric was elected President of Young Fine Gael in November 2010. Young Fine Gael calls for Croke Park Agreement to be scrapped, and have several ideas about creating employment. They also propose that Child Benefit should be distributed in the form of vouchers to ensure that it is used directly for the benefit of the child. These vouchers would be redeemable in the Republic of Ireland for groceries, children's clothes, educational materials and junior sports equipment and could not be used for the purchase of alcohol or for use in any leisure activities.

Chairman of Ógra Fianna Fáil, Thomas Byrne
Thomas Byrne, aged 33, is currently a TD for the Meath East constituency. He was elected at the 2007 general election and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, where he gained a Law degree (LL.B.). He is a qualified solicitor and is also qualified as Attorney at law in New York. He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election for the East constituency. In November 2009 he was appointed Cathaoirleach of Ógra Fianna Fáil by Taoiseach and President of Fianna Fáil Brian Cowen at the National Youth Conference. They believe in public sector work experience programme to be established, further education loan to be established, bankruptcy reforms to be introduced to stimulate entrepreneurship, reforms to R&D tax credits to create jobs in R&D, and equality for same sex couples and families.

National Secretary of Labour Youth, Colm Lawless
Colm Lawless, aged 18, is a political activist. He was elected National Secretary of Labour Youth at age 17. He is the current Chairperson of the Willie Cremins Labour Party Branch in Dublin South-West. He joined the Labour Party when he was 16. Labour Youth is a democratic socialist youth organisation with members aged 15- 25 inclusive. They have been to the forefront of several campaigns in the last few years including opposing the war against Iraq and the use of Shannon airport by the U.S. war machine , leading the opposition to proposals to re-introduce tuition fees, defending the right to join a trade union, supporting Irish Ferries workers and the threshold of decency campaign , calling for the re-instatement of Joanne Delaney who was sacked by Dunnes Stores for wearing a union badge and demanding the payment of grants on time.

Ógra Sinn Fein, Ruadhán Mac Aodháin
Ruadhán Mac Aodháin, aged 27, is a Barrister-at-Law and political activist. He played a central role in Pearse Doherty's high court challenge, forcing a foot dragging government to hold a by-election in Donegal South West. Ruadhán has wide-ranging political experience, working first for the Irish lanaguage in UCC, then for Sinn Féin in Brussels at the European Parliament, and later as an analyst in Leinster House, in economics, social and health policy. He co-authored a major report on inequality for a Joint Oireachtas Committee and has actively campaigned for the preservation of 16 Moore Street, a 1916 heritage site. Speaking at his selection convention, Ruadhán said: I am running in this election because I believe each and every one of us can make a difference. Ireland is all but broken: we need a new politics, new priorities, a fairer society, a country that gives people a life, a job, and the prospect of growing old with dignity. Ruadhán says: “If elected, I will bring integrity, commitment, energy and passion to my work as a TD for this area and for this country. I will pay myself only the standard industrial wage, and reinvest the rest of my TD's salary in the local community”.

Ógra Ghlas, Young Green Party representative, Michael O’Callaghan
Michael O’Callaghan is representing Ógra Ghlas, Young Green Party. Amongst the issues top of Young Greens agenda are third level fees. They pushed the Green Party to secure a commitment that there would be no introduction of a student "contribution" in the renewed programme for government. They have always supported the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to full marriage equality.

Tune into Ireland AM this Wednesday 16th February 2011 at 7am on TV3

ENDS.

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