Catherine O’Callaghan | Staff Writer
Trinity Student Ellen O’Connor, who has been selected as a Fine Gael Local Election candidate in the Dún Laoghaire Electoral Area, has said one of the main reasons she decided to run was because much more needs to be done to involve young people in Irish politics, particularly young women.
“The primary blame for the lack of youth political engagement lies not with us but with the political establishment, as they have not succeeded in ensuring our views and concerns are heard.’’
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O’Conor, a Senior Freshman History student, believes that the Irish political scene is in urgent need of more young people, and rebuts the perception of students as “apathetic” towards political issues, saying: “Nearly every student I’ve met has strong views on issues that are central to politics, such as education and employment. The primary blame for the lack of youth political engagement lies not with us but with the political establishment, as they have not succeeded in ensuring our views and concerns are heard.’’
O’Connor argues that the recession has demonstrated the importance of the Irish political system doing a better job of engaging with young people. She feels that younger people have the most to lose from not taking an interest in politics and that “the only way to achieve real and lasting political reform is to ensure that young people take a central role in Irish politics, as we will bring forward the fresh and innovative ideas that are central to Ireland’s continued recovery.”
Out of the 566 candidates that put themselves forward during the last general election, only 86 were women, and out of those 86, only 25 were elected to the Dáil.
Promoting the involvement of young women in politics is especially important for Miss O’Connor, considering that at local level women make up under one-fifth of Councillors. Out of the 566 candidates that put themselves forward during the last general election, only 86 were women, and out of those 86, only 25 were elected to the Dáil. O’Connor points out that at this rate (an increase of only five women since 1992), it would take over 250 years for women to achieve equal representation in the Dáil.
O’Connor urges young people to make their voices heard, stating: “We can no longer sit on the side-lines and let others decide how our county is run. Whichever candidate or party you choose to support in the upcoming Local and European Elections, make sure you use your right to vote on May 23rd.”
The upcoming Local Elections will be held on Friday, May 23rd 2014. To find out if you are registered to vote or how to get on the register, see: www.checktheregister.ie.
