Youth Media for Europe

Declan Ganley VS Micheal O'Leary: what they were really thinking

2009-09-28T15:38:00.010+01:00

By Paul Kennedy

A probe into the minds of the Declan Ganley, Micheal O'Leary and Miriam O'Callaghan during the debate on RTÉ Primetime.

For the original video see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbuyGJKxp9I
Or watch the full show at: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1056151

Embedded video can also be found here.

Read my Lips: We want less sound-bites and more substance

2009-09-22T10:31:00.011+01:00

By Eoghan Dockrell

Is it fair that four million people can hold up half a billion? Is it right that the Irish electorate should vote on Lisbon again, after already rejecting it? Is Declan Ganley Satan’s brother? These contentious, provocative questions are a taste of what’s on offer if you’ve had time to listen in on the Lisbon debate. It’s widely accepted that this time the public are better informed on the Treaty. Then why is it that the powers that be continue to flood the referendum with catchy, but misleading one-liners?

The Yes side have slogans like “Yes to Europe, Yes to Lisbon” and “Yes to Jobs, Yes to Lisbon”. Basically, it’s yes to anything you like, once you pull the right lever on polling day. And on the other hand, the No side are being less ambiguous and a lot more direct with their apocalypse-style posters. One such batch of posters has a quote so terrifying that it would scare any part-time, minimum wage-earning, college student into jumping straight on the No-wagon without even questioning whether the statement is factual. For the hand full of people in the country who don’t know what I’m talking about; just type "1.84 Euro after Lisbon" into your computer and you’ll soon find out. The organisation behind this memorable, but wildly inaccurate, quote is Coir, a conservative pro-life group. The example above is just a sample of what kind of campaign they’re running.

But in spite of all these sharp, snappy campaign captions, polls consistently show that people are gravitating towards substance and in short, the catch-phrases are not sticking. It’s important to remember that at the time of the first Lisbon referendum our economy had not yet gone into free fall and most people were still treading water, working diligently, blissfully unaware of the crippling recession that lurked ahead. Now the environment has changed. The Lisbon Treaty has moved up in the public priority chart. As unemployment continues to rise, more and more people realise how critical it is for this country to make the right choice, whatever that may be.

Last time, perhaps we felt we could afford to let Ganley lead us astray and vote no, or give Taoiseach Cowen the benefit of the doubt for not reading the Treaty and vote yes. It’s evident talking with friends and family that the public have less and less patience for and trust in their public representatives. We need to hold them to higher standards and one way in which to do this is by better informing ourselves on matters of national importance. That’s why more citizens have put more time into finding out about Lisbon. This country is pulling out our collective laptops and collectively Googling "Lisbon Treaty". We’ve even began to read the campaign literature that arrives through our letter box, instead of just using it as compost in the back garden. This is progress.

It’s encouraging to sit on a bus and find yourself eavesdropping on two grannies who happen to be debating what Lisbon will mean for abortion. It’s encouraging to log on to Facebook and find more than a dozen comments that appear underneath a Lisbon related post (To all you Facebook cynics, this did actually happen). It’s not so encouraging watching a lady canvassing for a Yes vote get verbally bashed by anti-Lisbon (probably anti-everything), semi-drunk, drunk men.

Most people find it difficult to ignore the colourful and catchy phrases that swirl around the office and the classroom during a campaign season. Sometimes these simple phrases are the product of months of intense media testing and other times they seem to pop up out of thin air. But regardless of where they come from, they have a habit of sticking around and often end up greedily sucking up air-time and preventing people from discussing more weighty things. But in this referendum people seem to be educating themselves, concentrating more on substantive issues. The question is, can we continue to focus more on substance and less on misleading sound-bites? My answer is Yes We Can.

The Freedom and Democracy Group – Ireland's bodyguard or bully?

2009-09-21T22:12:00.007+01:00

By Kate Manning

This week every household across the country will receive a leaflet urging voters to vote No in the upcoming Lisbon Treaty referendum. Sent by the Freedom and Democracy Group which boasts Nigel Farage as their leader, the leaflet worryingly contains many blatant untruths.

The leaflet states, “Lisbon would further encourage the displacement of Irish workers and lower the wages for tens of thousands of Irish workers, many of whom would have to leave the country.”

In fact the Lisbon Treaty states that the EU does not have control over pay and the issue of accepting immigrants lies solely with the individual country. Why then would this feature in a leaflet intended to inform the Irish public? It would seem that the Freedom and Democracy Group are putting their own political interests above those of the Irish electorate.

The leaflet also features a statement about Corporate Tax:
“Ireland’s no vote to Lisbon halted EU moves to introduce a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB). The introduction of an EU Corporate Tax Base will take a jackhammer to Ireland’s economic future”
This claim relates to Article 113 of the Lisbon Treaty. The leaflet fails to mention that actually this Article does not relate to direct taxation such as Corporate Tax but rather indirect taxation. The Irish Government takes full control over corporate tax, contrary to these misleading claims by the Freedom and Democracy Group.

“Lisbon reduces member states' powers”
This is again false information. The fact is that the Lisbon Treaty will simplify the voting structure in Europe. This is desperately needed to facilitate for the increased number of Member States. Measures are also provided to ensure larger countries do not dominate decision making therefore protecting smaller countries like Ireland.

In relation to the guarantees that were achieved for Ireland, the leaflets maintains that “Brian Cowen had asked for legally binding guarantees. Instead he got worthless clarifications. They’re not worth the paper they’re written on!”
Actually the agreement the Taoiseach sought is legally binding, agreed by the heads of EU countries and is an international agreement. Already lodged with the UN it will become a Protocol if the Lisbon Treaty comes into force. The Freedom and Democracy Group failed to point out that this was successfully done before when Denmark wanted to opt out of a part of the Maastricht Treaty.

Unfortunately for Irish voters, the current Lisbon Treaty campaign is rife with untruths and scaremongering to facilitate certain political motives. Whether voting Yes or No on October 2nd, it is becoming increasingly important for Irish voters to strip down this Treaty to the bare facts. When reading information ask yourself, who wrote this? What are their political motives? What positive role have they played in Irish or European society? In the case of the Freedom and Democracy the answer to the last question is very little.

The Lisbonic Plague

2009-09-21T16:51:00.009+01:00

By Eanna Kelly

"These are the stakes! To make a world in which all of God's children can live, or to go into the dark. We must either love each other, or we must die".

This excerpt was taken from the American television campaign, 'Daisy', whose premise was ‘fear sells’. The ad' was used to promote the candidacy of Johnson for the 1964 presidential election. The concept of the ad’ was revolutionary, in a sense, and highly provocative. A little girl is seen slowly counting the petals of a daisy when an ominous-sounding voice begins to count down a missile launch. The camera zooms in on the eye of the terrified girl until her pupil fills the screen and blackens it out. A mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion replaces the shot. The message at the end is straightforward, vital and piercing: "The stakes are too high for you to remain at home."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkWAhuXtalw

Fear-mongering is used to influence political views. Post September 11th, the American Government utilised fear of another terrorist attack and exploited it to remain in office. ‘Shockvertising’ has also been prevalent throughout the two Lisbon campaigns. The Irish newspaper ‘Alive’ (which can be purchased at all good churches) recently peddled an article claiming that "under the Lisbon Treaty the EU could seize elderly people's savings and homes, and can take children off people who suffer from mild forms of alcoholism or depression; or who do not own a family home." This is positively stark raving lunacy! Incidentally, this article led to Deirdre De Burca announcing that the paper was the "Irish Taliban"……….although I would imagine its level of human rights violations is significantly less!

Fear and advertising now exist concurrently. What about those ads that show bacteria lurking in every part of your house? The post-apocalyptic novel ‘World War Z’ summed it up perfectly when the billionaire who made his fortune with a phony vaccine asked: "People selling their products? No. People selling the fear of you having to live without their products." Coir’s campaign, which suggests that the minimum wage could become €1.84 per person, I mean, where did this figure even come from? It’s just not plausible! The Charter of Fundamental Rights safeguards rights such as those of fair and just working conditions. The least I can say for the Yes campaign is that they don’t advocate anything as glaringly fallacious as this (although their campaign is both insipid and uninformative…one only has to look at Labour’s forthright and unimaginative ‘Vote Yes’ poster.)

I shall say this: sleep with one eye open; don’t get sucked in by misinformation! The battle of Lisbon rages onwards- there are acrimonious arguments and vehement venting, yes, but at last there is a public debate to savour! Polarised viewpoint...but no indifference this time around.

The political paradoxes created by politicians agreeing

2009-09-21T00:00:00.011+01:00

By Paul Kennedy

Cowen versus Ganley: Requiem

2009-09-18T12:16:00.004+01:00

Monday, September 14

By Eanna Kelly

"Fear can hold you prisoner…hope can set you free"

Okay, I am being a little hyperbolic, but the Lisbon Treaty….just got interesting! Declan Ganley- the moral arbiter of the nation- is back! Cue the ‘hissing’ from the Yes campaigners and the 'hoorahs' from the No campaigners. For the No-ites, he is the champion pitted against the evil elites and for the Yes-ites he is a pesky non-conforming rogue. Ganley’s web-page espouses a ‘fight for democracy’- who will follow him this time?

I am undecided on how to vote. Soundbites swirl around me and create a nauseating effect. I have not proceeded through the mist and reached a point where I can discern what is fear-mongering drivel and what is fact. For instance, does "a cohesive European voice on the world stage" mean ‘imperialist military superstate’?? I have a lot of questions to ask Jeeves.

My biggest problem is crippling laziness. The Lisbon text is there to be read- although I am informed that it is virtually unintelligible- so I have the opportunity to get informed. Whilst talking to my friends on the issue, I usually prefer to borrow other people’s words….that is to say I have not put in any ground work of my own.

I can break it down to a simple rationale: Yes, Europe has made Ireland stronger; it has provided us with plenty. There are niggling nuggets of information floating around, though, that I cannot ignore…is Europe heading towards a more federalist structure, and is such a thing desirable? The Commission already has large independent powers...will these be successfully harnessed in the future?

Coupled with these doubts, I have a slight anarchistic naughtiness playing in my head, specifically, what would happen if the No vote passed?? I can envisage Michael Martin entering a room full of expectant European elites, eyes lowered, an apologetic shrug followed by awkward dialogue: "The Irish electorate huh, bunch of cheeky scamps, what are we going to do with them??" I mean, were the No vote passed, we would certainly face a dwindling level of respect and, more importantly, power. Sarkozy and co. already alienate the minnows of Europe with their G5 and G6 meetings; such ostracising is bound to continue.

For the moment though, my message is simple: trust no one! Civil war values are back- members of my family are expressing fixed viewpoints and are expectant that I will comply. My quest for truth and virtue continues...

No excuse

2009-09-14T16:50:00.009+01:00

By Grace Campbell

When the Lisbon Treaty was not passed the first time, one of the biggest reasons for young people voting against the treaty was due to a lack of information on what it consisted of and what effects it had for Ireland. The government was blamed for not placing enough emphasis on the treaty. However, young people should have looked at the effort they themselves had made to become familiar with the Treaty’s contents.

This time around, there is no excuse. Posters, leaflets and websites have been set up in abundance to inform and educate Irish citizens about Europe and the Lisbon Treaty. The people of Ireland have been given every opportunity to find out about the treaty and cannot use a lack of information as a reason to vote No or not vote at all.

Campaigns for the Yes and No vote have been criticised for over-dramatising the contents of the Treaty and its impact on Ireland’s future but the onus is on people themselves to make their own choice about the Treaty and not to just listen to the opinions of political parties.

“TalktoEU” (http://www.talktoeu.ie/) is a website and Facebook page, which allows people to ask questions about the EU and make comments about EU issues. The mission of the page is “To inform people about the EU and what it does, and can do for you, using clear and simple facts.”

Photo albums on the page include "Who is who of the EU Commission" and a recent discussion on the page was “With only three weeks to go until the referendum, how do you feel the Yes and No campaigns are dealing with the Lisbon Treaty?”

“TalktoEU” is utilising Facebook as a way of getting young people involved with Europe. All questions asked are answered and young people can share their opinions and educate other friends on the page. This is one of a number of initiatives set up for young people to take advantage of in the run up to the referendum.

There is no excuse for the people of Ireland not to vote on October 2^nd in the Lisbon Treaty referendum. So the next time you are checking your status updates on Facebook or your friends' holiday snaps on their homepage, give the “TalktoEU” page a quick look. You never know what you could learn or teach others.

The hand that feeds us needs do up its menu somewhat

2009-09-13T19:20:00.004+01:00

By Paul Kennedy

So. Lisbon. It has nothing to do with the Government.

We’ve been told to not take our locally fuelled anger out on them. That would be foolish. On our parts of course. After all, this has NOTHING to do with how our Government is running things now, so why would they be foolish? Why would they have anything to do with it? This is about Europe. Not Ireland. If the Government is doing things which we don’t like, that’s not Europe’s fault. The Government’s view that a lot of our problems where caused by ‘problems overseas’?
I guess we're supposed to ignore that for a while.
Or something.

For example, NAMA (the ones who take all those foolish loans from the foolish bankers for the good of us all) and McCarthy (Bord Snip, the one the non-fools, IE, the Government, is putting off), they are just a few things that have nothing to do with this. We know this. They’ve told us.
And they’re cleverer then us. We voted for them didn’t we? We don’t elect fools, do we?

And who are we to know? We can’t even make the HARD decisions.

Anyway, so if, like we’ve been told, that whatever we think about the government (which is probably wrong, because they know better), should have NO BEARING on how we vote in Lisbon, how can we take our anger (the anger that runs in the bile of ever-foolish livers) out?

To vote No would be merely slapping the hand that feeds us with?
Well, after it feeds all the Mahon Lawyers with Spar sandwiches and coffee first of course.

The problem is, things have changed. Drastically. The train that is Ireland hasn’t so much gone off the rails as careered into the Broadmeadow estuary, broken viaduct below it, 4.4 million people screaming all the way. We all can’t ignore anymore the excess that the current Government has wasted. Most voters know that Lisbon and our own mess shouldn’t be throw together in the same soufflé, but like it or spit it out, that’s the way our current meal is being served.

And the Government should adapt. Add a new course.

You see, an election is going to happen. Whether it’s good/bad/apocalyptic for Ireland, it will happen. Eventually. And us Irish people, well, we don’t deal in 'eventuallys', not anymore. And, at the moment, all we have is Lisbon. If the Government is so serious about a Yes to Lisbon, the best way to do it is guarantee an election in the near future. Maybe not tomorrow, or even next month, the Irish can wait, and honestly, I don’t think at the moment the newspapers could afford the extra pull out supplements an election would mean.

Revenge, after all, is a dish best served cold.

But two and half years would be mouldy revenge.
But a promise of some sandwiches around January could be nice.

Spar could cater.

President of European Parliament jets in to Dublin to talk with young people

2009-09-09T15:10:00.009+01:00

By Eoghan Dockrell

The Presidency of the European Parliament is a tenure that lasts for two and a half years. For the first time in the history of the European Union a Polish person holds this office. His name is Jerzy Buzek and he heads the second largest democratic body in the world, next to India.

On Tuesday morning he was in the Office of the European Parliament on Molesworth Street, Dublin. When he stepped up to the podium to speak, he gave a short introduction, focusing on the "most important" challenges ahead. This brevity was much appreciated by the many young people that turned out to listen. Then when the President opened up the floor, a lively questions and answers session began.

All sorts of people were asking all sorts of difficult, specific questions relating to EU affairs. He answered these lengthy, often complicated, questions without the aid of a translator. The absence of a translator put the President's English skills to the test. Early on in the discussion, after listening to a long and winding question, the President requested that all those who speak Polish, raise their hands. After a forest of hands shot up, he jokingly said “OK, the remainder of the press conference will be in Polish”.

Before responding to questions on the 800 pound Gorilla that is the Lisbon referendum, he was quick to point out that the trip to Ireland would not involve campaigning for either a Yes or a No vote. But nonetheless, his answers were undeniably pro-Europe-pro-Lisbon. He also made sure to stress that EU integration would never compromise or diminish the unique cultural identities of each member state. He continued, stating that “we will never be the United States of Europe”.

Other topics touched on included development aid and global warming. His answers to these general questions were impressive in their detail. He explained to the audience that the EU cannot go it alone. The EU has the power to influence other global players to improve environmental standards. The President said that "80 percent of all CO2 is absorbed by forests in Brazil". This piece of information was an excellent example to prove the point that we need global co-operation.

In answering a Lisbon-orientated question, Mr Buzac thought it necessary to speak about the newly added legal guarantees. He said he was confused when anti-Lisbon campaigners challenged the validity of these legal guarantees. He said that these guarantees were “forever”, and sceptics need only look to Denmark where similar legal guarantees were inserted twenty years ago and are still in force.

The final question dealt with the EU’s “military force”, or lack thereof. The person posing the question raised a valid point, explaining that the EU has influence in almost all other areas, except the military. The President conceded that, to a certain extent, she was correct. He was quick to restate that Ireland’s neutrality would not be at risk if the Lisbon treaty was ratified. However, he did leave food for thought, when he said that “yes Ireland is militarily neutral, but not politically neutral”.

He came across as an amiable man, evidently passionate about the EU. At one point he memorably proclaimed “what is better, to be alone, or to be together”, referring to the value of EU membership and the benefits of inter-state co-operation. Mr Buzek spent the guts of 90 minutes answering questions on a whole range of topics. The language barrier didn’t prevent him from providing substantive and satisfying answers. He may not have been in Ireland campaigning for a Yes Vote, but he certainly did a good job convincing the audience on the merits of the EU and the continued role it should play in Ireland's future.

Youth Media for Europe reporters to cover the Lisbon Treaty referendum

2009-09-08T13:31:00.004+01:00

The Youth Media for Europe press corps are once again hitting the campaign trail!

Our youth journalists will report on the Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign in every Euro-constituency in the Republic of Ireland, and our dedicated team in Northern Ireland will bring us a fresh perspective as they cover the referendum from the North.
Watch this space for reports from the Youth Media for Europe reporters!

Will it be a No from the East?

2009-09-07T13:50:00.008+01:00

By Grace Campbell and Kate Manning

The upcoming Lisbon Treaty referendum gives young people a second opportunity to voice their opinion on Ireland's relationship going forward with Europe. The result of the referendum is not a foregone conclusion as recent opinion polls have shown. Young people in the East constituency chose their MEPs back in June and now have to make another trip back to the polling booth. Three young people from the East share their reasons as to why they are voting No on October 2nd:

Peter, who is 21 years of age and in college, is adamant that he is voting no in the referendum. "I don't know why we have to go through all of this again," said Peter. "The Irish people voted, they chose no and that decision should be respected. It's as if the government will keep making us vote until we eventually say yes and I believe that is completely unfair." Although Peter believes the second referendum should not be taking place he will exercise his vote regardless. "I think it's important for me to vote, otherwise the yes campaign will win if everyone who shares my opinion doesn't bother to fill out their ballot paper," he said.

Heather is a 23 year old from Meath who recently finished college and has had no success in securing employment so far. "The government says that by agreeing to the Lisbon Treaty that more jobs will be created but I feel they are only saying this in order to push the treaty through. There is no concrete evidence that saying Yes or No to Lisbon will guarantee jobs to anyone so I don't know why this is being used as part of the campaign," she said. Heather has not fully decided which way to vote but is currently swayed towards voting No. "I'm probably taking my anger out on the government by voting against them but I'm just fed up of the situation I'm in and find it very hard to agree with any decisions they make."

John is 20 years of age and has the same opinion as Heather. He is in the workforce and has discussed the pros and cons of the Lisbon Treaty with fellow work colleagues in Kildare. "There definitely has been a lot more effort this time around with informing the public about what the Lisbon Treaty has to offer but I'm not convinced that Lisbon will benefit Ireland and I think the Yes campaign is completely exaggerating the benefits of passing it," said John. "I know Ireland's relationship with Europe is important but there are other domestic issues that should be resolved first."

The next few weeks will see both campaigns for and against the Treaty come into full swing. Informing yourself about the Lisbon Treaty is key. Whatever your decision is, make sure you use your vote on October 2nd.

Will it be a Yes from the East?

2009-09-07T13:41:00.013+01:00

By Kate Manning and Grace Campbell

The young voters of Ireland face a tough decision. No, not what flavour Pot Noodle to get, but one which could essentially determine their future as Europeans. Whether you are for or against this Treaty, get the correct information before you vote. A good place to start is http://www.lisbontreaty2009.ie/ or http://www.europeanmovement.ie/, where you will find clear, concise and waffle-free information. Ignore the posters, ignore the politicians and just vote on the facts.

Three young voters from the East Constituency share why they will vote Yes on October 2nd. Michael is 21 and from Newbridge in Kildare. “A friend of mine is very active in politics and she gave me information on what the Treaty is about. After reading up on it I was amazed at the difference between the facts and the rumours. I thought this Treaty would bring abortion into the country and that I would be conscripted into an EU army. It’s crazy how many lies are being told. If I hadn’t read up on it I probably would be voting No.” Michael gave information to his friends and encouraged them to read before they made a decision. “Now around ten of my mates are voting Yes.”

Marie is 19 and from Carlow. She is preparing to return to UCD for her second year as an Arts student. “My family are all voting Yes for the second time. The stuff that is on the posters makes me want to vote Yes even more... it’s not true so why would I vote the way they want us to?” Marie fears the reception Ireland will get in Europe if the No side succeed will be “devastating especially for people our age... we were born into Europe and benefited from it so far, so we should cooperate.”

James from Athy is 24 and in full time employment. “I voted No the last time around probably because I was afraid of what would happen to Ireland. Some said we would lose our influence in Europe... I didn’t know who to believe...and couldn’t find the facts.” Recently James decided to vote Yes because of the guarantees that were sought by the Irish Government. “Any worries I had were sorted by the guarantees...and I accept this Treaty will make Europe more efficient.” James has since become active on Boards.ie and Politics.ie telling other younger voters why he has changed his mind. “There is still a lot of uncertainty among young people but I have been telling them what sites to go on and what is or isn’t fact.”

Public debate over the next few weeks will feature claims however ridiculous from both sides urging voters to side with them to secure Ireland’s future. While the excitement of this referendum will keep voters enthralled, it is imperative to be aware of the facts. Separate the typical election drivel from what this Treaty really involves and bear in mind that for every decision made there will be a consequence.

OK Northern Ireland...we just aren't getting it

2009-07-21T17:45:00.006+01:00

By Katie Murphy

The previous weekend saw the 12th of July celebrations in full swing throughout the province. Many people prepared to host barbecues with their families, attend communal bonfires and anticipated watching the marching parades around various big cities and towns in Northern Ireland. For the most part, the 12 July celebrations passed without as much upheaval as in previous years and many a citizen of all sides of the community enjoyed a leisurely holiday weekend. Like most Northern Irish young people, the only connection I can make with the customary 12 July celebrations and Europe is that during this summer weekend many people travel to Europe in seek of a blissful holiday destination. Imagine my confusion when, on my travels around the city of Belfast, I noticed a European flag perched on top of a ‘boney’ or ‘bonfire’ with the intention of being burnt in a commemoration of the unionist win at the battle of the Boyne all those years ago.

It is common for a tricolor to be perched on top of such ‘bonfires’ to portray the unionist opposition to nationalism in Northern Ireland, but why on earth would the extreme unionist people wish to show any opposition to the European Union or other European countries? Are Northern Irish people suddenly anti-Europe? Are the unionist people displeased at the outcome of the recent European Elections in June? For those who are not aware, Sinn Féin candidate Bairbre De Brun received the highest number of votes in this years’ European elections in Northern Ireland, beating favourable Unionist candidates Jim Nicholson (UUP) and Diane Dodds (DUP). On the other hand could it be that Northern Irish people are opposed to European citizens seeking job opportunities in our country, following the racist attacks on the Romanian families recently that grabbed headlines around the world in June?

At this point I began to wonder if any voter in Northern Ireland, young or old, realised that the European Parliament is much different to the parliament we have constructed here in Northern Ireland, Stormont. For a start, the MEPs sitting in the European Parliament come from a wide array of backgrounds and hold a vast amount of different religious beliefs. The European Parliament is a culmination of people from different backgrounds who have come together to make laws to benefit Europe as a whole, taking into consideration the different views and cultures of every European citizen. I wondered if any voter in Northern Ireland realised that in the European Parliament your religious views or ethnic background do not determine your eligibility of being a good ambassador or voice for your country. For all that the European Union and European Parliament stand for, inclusiveness, togetherness and co-operation, I was baffled as to why any community in Northern Ireland would express opposition to the EU.

When my fellow Northern Irish correspondents and I were following the campaign trail in the run up to the elections, one of our big concerns was that our young people would adopt a sectarian approach to voting. After conversing with my fellow first time voters on the upcoming elections and the election process, many highlighted that people in Northern Ireland vote for the candidates who represent their religious community, rather than the candidate who is best for the job and who intends to work to benefit the community as a whole. Surely, for the European Elections at least, the Northern Irish people would realise that our political and religious struggles are irrelevant? Surely, they would realise that any candidate selected to go forward to represent our country in the European arena is there as an ambassador for every social and cultural group throughout the province, not just one? Why are our MEPs not stressing to the voting public that voting on the grounds of religion stifles the political process of our country and our full engagement with the European Parliament? I wondered if this sectarian approach to voting suited some of our running MEPs as it secured their votes and in turn, secured their position in the European Parliament. Why would they not attempt to appeal to all sides of the community and stress the importance of a united Northern Ireland in the European arena if they were dedicated to their cause and in establishing Northern Ireland’s voice in Europe?

Northern Ireland has the potential to become a great advocate for issues that are prevalent and up for debate in the EU such as human rights, workers rights and environmental protection, if we only rejected this ‘politics of division’ that tore our country apart.

Workshop memories...

2009-06-17T14:32:00.015+01:00

Meeting the political correspondents at Leinster House...

The training workshop in the Google offices...

To Brussels Batman!!!

2009-06-12T14:54:00.014+01:00

By Kate Manning

The people have spoken. The elections are over and MEPs all over Europe are organising their life for their move to Brussels. Former MEPs are possibly still coming to terms with their defeat and wondering what went wrong. Unsuccessful candidates are hoping a general election is on the way soon so they can put themselves forward for that. Journalists are back to looking for stories rather than being bombarded with leads on candidates.

On reflection, this year’s elections were most definitely not short on drama. In Ireland as a whole, the smooth election of Nessa Childers in the East Constituency was not predicted, as a battle between herself and Senator John Paul Phelan was supposed to be on the cards. Instead sitting MEP Liam Aylward faced the uphill challenge. Both Mr Aylward and Senator Phelan hail from Kilkenny with Aylward coming up with the goods in the end. Younger voters, in particular Young Fine Gael members, were devastated that their main man failed to succeed.

Libertas had a humiliating defeat with no candidates securing a seat in Ireland and Declan Ganley announcing his exit from politics. While many will find this decision to be the best decision he has ever made, the fact remains, Irish voters could not find a good enough reason to bring Libertas to the Parliament. Perhaps it was the lack of a clear, concise and across the board manifesto that caused the end result.

In Dublin, there was always going to be a fight to the end as the constituency was to lose a seat. Mary Lou McDonald and Eoin Ryan lost their seat while Socialist Joe Higgins secured the last seat. While Eoin Ryan’s losing of his seat was potentially because of his party and the current economic climate, Mary Lou McDonald lost hers on her dreadful attendance record in the Parliament. The voters would prefer to have Joe Higgins criticising the Parliament from Brussels rather than Ms McDonald who spoke out against the Parliament from back home.

In the rest of Europe as a whole, it was good news for the Parliament as the centre right EPP ED secured 263 seats maintaining its role as the largest grouping. Even with the desertion of the Tories and Czech MEPs, it remains on top.

Libertas only managed to secure one seat in the whole of Europe, the lone rider being Philippe de Villiers, a French MEP. This caused even further embarrassment for leader Declan Ganley.

It was bad news for Britain's Labour Party as they received a serious backlash from the voters, which saw the BNP secure two seats in the Parliament. The BNP are very much anti-EU and are desperate to call a halt to immigration. The election of two BNP MEPs is worrying and Nick Griffin’s (BNP leader) pelting with eggs last week is proof that this latest move in Britain will have huge consequences for the Parliament.

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders' Freedom Party won four seats. The party is anti-Europe, anti-Islamic and anti everything that will raise an eyebrow. You can be guaranteed that they will make noise in the Parliament with the BNP MEPs. Great, just what the Parliament needs to slow it down!

The people have indeed spoken. I only wish the rest of Europe (in particular Britain) had spoken as commendably as Ireland did.

What next - For winners? For losers? For Youth Media for Europe?

2009-06-11T16:35:00.017+01:00

By Grace Campbell

All but a few election posters remain, dotted around towns in Kildare. Similarly to the candidates after the election, the remaining posters look tired and worn, battered by the changing weather of the last few weeks, clinging by the last piece of string to stay upright on their designated lamp posts. The European election has drawn to a close and unlike the campaign posters whose role is completed, the work of the newly elected MEPs has only begun.

The East sees the return of two MEPs who now begin their second term of office in Brussels. In the overall scheme of events for Aylward and McGuinness, the elections were a distraction from the work they are involved in at EU level. On her Facebook page Mairead McGuinness blogged: "The next five years will be pivotal for Ireland and for the food sector and agriculture in particular. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in." A farmer's work is never done!

Nessa Childers will understandably take the longest to settle into her new role as MEP. This is the time where Ms. Childers must prove that she is more than just a name. She must come out from behind the shadow of her late father and show that she deserves to be in the European Parliament.

All is not lost for the candidates in the East who were not elected. Senator John Paul Phelan and Thomas Byrne TD will return to their day jobs, which cannot be taken for granted in these economic times. Sinn Féin candidate Tomas Sharkey was elected to Louth County Council at the weekend and commented on his Facebook page: "I topped the poll in the Council area and was elected on the first count with a huge surplus." His running mate Kathleen Funchion also begins her work as a local councillor, joking on Facebook: "Any pot holes need fixing?"

The independent candidates will carry on with their lives - back to normality for the three men who remained predominantly under the radar. Jim Tallon has entered every election since 1981 with his highest number of votes polling at 163. On Sunday he trumped his record by receiving 2,412 first preference votes. Don't be surprised if you see Mr. Tallon's name again after this result; coming to a ballot paper near you!

Unfortunately for one of the losers in the East, it can be argued that all is lost for Libertas candidate Raymond O'Malley and his political future. Whether Mr. O'Malley will reinvent himself for the next election or put a halt to his political aspirations like leader Declan Ganley, only time will tell. Libertas has made a lot of enemies on the campaign circuit so keeping a low profile for the foreseeable future is the best option.

And that leaves us with Youth Media for Europe. The European election has been a learning curve, providing an interactive taste of the goings-on of politics at election time. European politics should not be viewed as alien by the young, it is vital to participate in healthy debate, discussing issues of concern. On the flip side, politicians should not overlook the power of the youth and make every effort to get young people involved in topics at local, national and EU level.

Watch out in the future as the youngsters of Youth Media for Europe become the new broadcasters of RTE, the new columnists of the Irish Times or even the new candidates knocking at your door looking for your number one to send them to Brussels. It could be your face on one of those worn out posters next!

Youth Media for Europe

Life after Libertas

2009-06-11T13:45:00.006+01:00

By Dónal Hassett

Few political obituaries provoked as much interest in the wake of this week's Euro-elections as that of the ever-controversial Libertas leader Declan Ganley. Ganley, who burst onto the political scene as leader of, and infamously, chief financier of Libertas' No to Lisbon campaign, is now licking his wounds from his brief and colourful, but ultimately unsuccessful, foray into Irish politics. The Libertas ‘pan-European’ party, Ganley’s brainchild, failed spectacularly in a European elections which saw an increase in support for virtually all right-wing Eurosceptic parties except those standing under the Libertas banner. While party supporters had predicted upwards of 100 seats, the final result was dismal- just one MEP, French ultra-conservative Phillipe de Villiers, was returned to the Parliament for the party. Where did all go wrong for the Ganleyites and their dream of converting Ireland’s No to Lisbon into a Yes to Libertas?

Undoubtedly, Libertas in Ireland was seeking to tap into a resevoir of conservative Catholic traditionalist voters. Ganley’s candidacy in the North West constituency sought to attract the substantial support base of former MEP Dana Rosemary Scallon who stood on a platform of social conservatism and Euroscepticism. In an effort to woo her voters, Ganley attacked his main rival, Independent MEP Marian Harkin by alleging her allies in the European Parliament were all pro-abortion, attempting to undermine Harkin’s self-professed “social conservatism”. However this move backfired when it emerged that a leading candidate for Libertas in the Netherlands had strong links to pro-abortion and even pro-euthenasia groups. While Dana’s endorsement, arriving late as it did, did indeed bouy up the Ganley campaign, it proved too little too late for what was to be an expensive experiment in Irish politics.

What can the Libertas experience tell us about Irish voters? Firstly, it seems evident that the resevoir of conservative Catholic voters is slowly being eroded in the newly modernised Irish society. Not only did Libertas candidates fail to secure any seats but also Kathy Sinnot, who shares many conservative ideals with Ganley and Dana, lost her seat in the South constituency.

Secondly, these elections show up the ideological divide within the anti-Lisbon campaign. In television interviews from the count centre, Ganely expressed confidence that transfers from the Sinn Féin candidate would narrow the gap between him and the leading candidates. However, transfer rates showed little distinction between pro- and anti-Lisbon candiadtes, in this most anti-Lisbon part of the country. Clearly Sinn Fein's left-wing republican voters saw no great attraction in voting for a conservative pro-enterprise candidate (with an English accent as it happens!)

Finally, the failure of the Libertas campaign was a failure for the kind of expensive and negative campaigning often practiced in America. Ganley’s highly personalised attacks on candidates, a policy echoed by the party’s candiadtes in Dublin (Caroline Simons) and in East (Raymond O’Malley), seem not to have gone down well with the Irish electorate. Simons’ constant barracking of other candiates during a radio debate was very unpopular, while O’Malley’s solo run on ‘blue cards’ for ‘foreign’ workers did not go down well in border areas. No amount of money and slick media advisors could cover these candidates’ gaffes.

The Libertas experience, while a colourful sideshow in these elections, should reassure mainstream politicians that personal attacks and negative campaigning appeals only to a marginal constituency of the Irish electorate. This electoral failure also augurs well for the pro-Lisbon campaign.

It’s Goodbye Mary-Lou…but why?

2009-06-09T14:41:00.012+01:00

By Dónal Hassett

Outgoing Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald was seen by many as the poster girl for Sinn Fein's attempt to extend its political hegemony south across the border. Appointed as Gerry Adams number 2, McDonald’s clean cut image and soft-spoken accent went down very well with Southern voters and her spearheading of the party’s anti-Lisbon campaign was very successful, playing on her extensive knowledge of European affairs to add to a traditional protest vote. So where did it all go wrong for the Sinn Fein golden girl?

With the Dublin constituency losing a seat this time around, it was always going to be hard fo Sinn Fein to retain their seat but with the capital predicted to return an anti-Lisbon candidate, Mary Lou was seen to have the edge over Fianna Fáil’s Eoin Ryan, victim of the tide of public anger against the Soldiers of Destiny. Few commentators would have predicted socialist stalwart Joe Higgins’ surprise victory in the early hours of Monday morning. While Higgins is renowned for his extraordinary commitment, irreproachable integrity and witty eloquence, his victory cannot be purely attributed to his strength as a candidate but also to a failure on Sinn Fein's part to monopolise the radical protest vote in the capital. While Higgins’ Socialist Party held their own in the local elections and the radical left People before Profit Alliance made important gains, Sinn Fein actually lost council seats on Dublin City Council.

So what lies behind Sinn Fein's failure in this crucial constituency? Firstly, the concerns raised about Mary Lou’s attendance in Brussels and Strasbourg, the lowest of all of Ireland’s MEPs even when maternity leave was discounted, undermined her reputation as a hard worker and probably lost her votes to Joe Higgins, who is universally recognised as extremely hard-working. Sinn Fein's local problems in a former stronghold of theirs in Dublin’s South Inner City may have compounded Mary Lou’s problem. Esther Uzell, whose brother Joseph Rafferty was murdered by people linked to the IRA, led a campaign which succeeded in unseating high-profile Sinn Fein councillor Daithí Doolan for his alleged failure to help catch the killers. The backlash against Sinn Fein in their own backyard may have impacted on Mary Lou’s first preference vote.

However, local issues aside, perhaps it is simply a case of Sinn Fein having peaked after a sudden surge in the wake of the Good Friday agreement and now the party’s support has levelled out at circa 10% across the Republic. The last Dáil elections actually resulted in the loss of a seat, Seán Crowe in Tallaght, and Mary Lou’s own much mooted candidacy in Dublin Central was a big disappointment. Sinn Fein stalwart, Chirsty Burke’s poor performance (around 9.5%) in the Dublin Central by-election seems to confirm Sinn Fein's stagnation, a percentage mirrored by the much vaunted candidacy of Padraig Mac Lochlainn in the North West Euro constituency. Toireasa Ferris' large vote in the South constituency, while promising for the party, was doomed by Sinn Fein's notorious inability to attract transfers. Bairbre de Brún’s poll-topping performance north of the Border seems unlikely to be emulated in the South for years to come.

What then for Mary Lou? While the golden girl of ‘respectable republicanism’ is now left without an elected position, we are sure to see plenty of her in the upcoming Lisbon campaign and with the government looking increasingly unstable perhaps she will be knocking at doors in the near future (though not in Dublin Central) in her bid to get into the Dáil. Or might we see Mary Lou trying to fulfil that dearly-held Sinn Fein ambition of taking the Áras in time for the centenary celebrations of 1916, though I’m sure her former European colleagues, newly re-elected MEPs Mairéad McGuinness and Brian Crowley, may well give her a run for her money.

The Final Countdown

2009-06-08T16:36:00.020+01:00

By Grace Campbell

Driving up to the Punchestown Event Centre, my mind was running wild about what madness would greet me at the count centre’s door. Images of sweat trickling down the foreheads of worried faces, nervous hands twitching in anticipation of results, people walking aimlessly around the centre to settle their restlessness – and that was just the journalists.

Candidates from the East constituency had run strong but predictable campaigns and the results were a given before the very first vote was counted. With the exception of whether or not Senator John Paul Phelan would get the last available seat, the results in the East constituency had been foreseen from the outset.

By the time I entered the doors in Punchestown on Sunday afternoon, the elements of the East candidate’s campaigns were reflected in the sights that met my eyes. The hall was predominantly empty with very few supporters and only one candidate in attendance. The media occupied a small corner cordoned off behind railings and other than that vote counters and tallymen stood casually around, tired and fed up with the long weekend they had just endured.

Where was the excitement? Where was the drama? Similarly to the campaigns, the counts were there to fulfil a purpose. Entertainment was only a by-product that had to flow naturally from the process. In this case it did not.

The attempt to add excitement to the campaign trail saw Mairead McGuiness and John Paul Phelan being placed against each other to recreate the tension that existed between McGuinness and Doyle five years previous. Whether this game plan was constructed within Fine Gael or by the media is yet to be determined, but either way, the drama fizzled out early on when it became apparent that McGuinness and Phelan had nothing but goodwill for each other. The chance of a cat fight or even a war of words was next to none.

One would think that having a Libertas candidate thrown into the mix would create the much needed buzz that was missing from the East constituency. Raymond O’Malley failed to make a splash however and his dismal performance in the count of first preference votes illustrated this.

The looming results of the first count were being delivered at 9pm and until then the minutes and seconds were ticking by, one after another. At 8pm, the adrenalin missing from the afternoon began to kick in. The hall suddenly seemed smaller as countless supporters flooded the vacant space.

Candidates were dotted around the centre, each surrounded by their 'people' offering moral support. When 9pm was only moments away, every flash of a camera made it feel like New Year’s Eve and that a countdown for the new Millennium would start at any second.

The returning officer announced the predictable results we all saw coming but this did not take away from the raw emotion that filled the count centre. Fine Gael supporters lapped up the victory and Labour followers were ecstatic, even though Childers had yet to reach the quota.

For those few moments, the experience of a count is electric, the atmosphere unparalleled. I felt like I was witnessing history in the making. It was worth the long and tiring wait. Similarly to the campaigns by candidates in the East, the count was a slow burner but as they say “patience is a virtue” and it certainly paid off in Punchestown.

Plenty more where that came from

2009-06-08T14:06:00.011+01:00

By Kate Manning

People running all over the place, phones hopping and results coming in every minute. That was KCLR96fm, the local radio station for Carlow and Kilkenny on Saturday. It was election count day and the station newsroom was certainly alive.

The early morning was relatively peaceful. News clips to portray the anticipation among the candidates had to be gotten. European and local election hopeful, Kathleen Funchion spoke of her “nervousness about the day ahead”. Green TD Mary White told of the busy day facing everyone and hoped it would end up favouring her party. The stations Journalists were called to get feedback on the atmosphere that was beginning to build at the count-centres.
With so much newsworthy material coming from the count centres, it was difficult to find and develop the “In other news” stories. Having to condense the election feedback proved a challenge and most bulletins became extended. A fatal stabbing in Carlow had to be followed up on and it was tricky to manage that with the elections.

Election results were arriving by the minute and the news stories kept evolving. A bulletin could be broadcast and by the time it was finished another candidate could have been elected. Local listeners began calling the newsroom looking for tit-bits of results that they had missed.
By 11.30 am, word had reached the station that the tallies showed that Mairead McGuinness looked on course to reclaim her seat in the European Parliament. Surprisingly, Nessa Childers also looked to have polled well and was ahead of Fianna Fáil’s sitting MEP Liam Aylward. Predictions emerged which indicated that John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael) would battle with Aylward over the third seat. Nothing was certain at this time and a lot could change.

The day pretty much flew. The buzz of what was going on around the local area and the country never eased. Looking back the unpredictability and the fast pace was definitely worth doing again. I would recommend for anyone to get involved in elections. I followed it and was involved in it from start to finish and there was nothing about it that I didn’t like. Even to just get involved on election count day and witness the results being read out with the candidates either celebrating or commiserating with each other is a great experience. While I chose to get involved on the media side of things, there are other ways to get involved. You could join in the campaign trail of a candidate you’ve taken a shine to. Or put yourself forward to run in the elections. It’s achievable. Either way, to get a feel for the diverse personalities that represent our country at European level and our home towns at local level is important and can be quite entertaining.

With the second Lisbon Treaty referendum fast approaching, not to mention the constant threat of a general election potentially becoming a reality, Irish politics will be fast-paced and exciting for the indefinite future.

Bring it on I say!

We are living in the X-Box Generation!

2009-06-05T13:47:00.018+01:00

By Elaine Canny

Ireland is one of the most sporting countries in the world. GAA, international soccer, boxing, swimming, motor sport, equestrian sport and sailing are dominating the world and being led by the Irish. Sport plays a vital role in the development of young people in this country. Sports have been in our culture for many centuries, and during this European elections campaign, Sports and the lack of emphasis put on young people’s involvement in them had been raised. With the current TV and computer games culture taking over young people, sporting is a major issue in getting young people involved in these elections.

Micheal Seoige a young student from north Galway said "I think sport should be one of the main issues that MEPs should focus on if they want young people to become more involved in politics. Sport is a major pastime among my age. Not only did playing sports keep me fit and active but on a more serious level, it kept me on the straight and narrow while I was in school. It kept me more focused on school, I had training four times a week so I was taking care of myself, I didn’t touch alcohol even though most my friends were out drinking, I couldn’t as I wouldn’t have been able to perform as well as I did. I also had to keep my grades up in order to make the teams, so I did well in school too".

Sporting plays a vital role in bringing communities together. MEPs such as Fine Gael’s MEP Jim Higgins and Fianna Fail’s MEP candidate Paschal Mooney emphasised the importance in raising the issue of sports among young people.

Paschal Mooney said "The EU plays a pro-active role through the ‘Sports for All’ program. We are living in the X-box generation, where the computer is more relevant than the football, the basketball, or the racket. Obesity levels have risen dramatically in the last ten years, so it is MEPs' jobs to harness young people’s focus on sports. I must applaud the various sporting bodies in Ireland like the GAA who have played a sterling role in getting young people involved in sports. I think the focus is on jobs and the economy so the issue of sports is being somewhat neglected. It is an issue that interests me myself, i was a sports broadcaster for many years, if i was elected MEP, i would explore the issues of sports and initiatives.

Jim Higgins said "Sports and athletics have been a long time passion for me. As a former GAA player i believe the promotion of sports provided and important recreational and social outlet for participants and spectators. I sponsor a premier league match for Sligo Rovers each year. I am also a patron of Finn Harps FC in Donegal. All politics is local".

With the like of Katie Taylor (Boxing ) and Adam Carroll (Motor Sport) making a name for themselves, with the backing of MEPs the issue of sports with young people will be brought into more focus.

Elections are Friday 5 June with both Jim Higgins and Paschal Mooney running for election in the North West Constiuency.

The Irish language: céard é seo?

2009-06-05T12:26:00.015+01:00

By Elaine Ni Canny

The Irish language is "no use". That was the one of the comments from some Leaving Certificate students in Galway this week. With fears growing that the Irish language is dying out, it is one of the major issues that needs to be taken into consideration when the Irish youth goes to vote this Friday. Thousands of young people think Irish is more a useless subject at school rather than a recognised working language by the EU.

Speaking with Paschal Mooney on the importance of maintaining interest and awareness of the language "we led a robust campaign in getting the EU to recognise the Irish language as a working language, as a senator myself I was involved in this campaign, even though there is limited time for debating purposes, I would urge MEPs from Ireland to use Irish more frequently. I am not a native speaker myself, my conversational Irish is basic, but as an MEP I would ensure that the Irish language, as a wider cultural dimension that Ireland brings to the EU is not only respected but protected".

Jessica Kenny, a Leaving Certificate student from Galway said "I enjoy Irish as a subject but to be honest, after I do my Irish paper one and two next week, I’m never going to use it again, I’ll have no need to, no one from my area speaks it, and after all English is really our primary language".

Celebrities like Hector, Des Bishop and the Seoige sisters have helped make Irish appear more ‘appealing’ or ‘ cool’ to an extent but do we need some more political heads to further this link with celebrity and Irish.

Joe Canny, also a Leaving Certificate student, said "the likes of Hector have made Irish seem cool, but they still haven’t made young people want to put any effort into using Irish as a working language, only for my mother is a native speaker, I would never have even bothered putting an effort into the language, I still find it one of the hardest subjects that I’m facing in the Leaving Cert, and I don’t think I’ll ever be in a situation where I’ll need to use it".

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins was sure to put his Irish skills to use when he visited the Aran Islands on his canvassing trail. He encouraged his young canvassing team to use the Irish as their primary language in respect to Ireland and its Gaeltacht areas. So it appears that the Irish language needs some more attention in making young people want to use it and not just because they have to in school . The European elections take place on Friday 5 June.

Jim Higgins using his Irish skills canvassing in the Aran Islands

Give me a Job, and then i'll vote for you!

2009-06-04T22:05:00.012+01:00

By Elaine Canny

With only a matter of hours away until Super Friday, it is hoped by all political candidates that the youth of Ireland use their vote in making their mark in Ireland today. According to a study carried out, over 70% of young people will not use their vote. Young people are becoming more and more disengaged with politics, viewing it as "corrupt" and "boring". With the current economic climate it’s more important than ever for young people to get out and enforce a change in politics whether it be local, national or Europe. The dole figures are on the rise and have reached record numbers. Unemployment levels are accelerating at uncontrollable speeds and thousands of young graduates are leaving the country. This summer Ireland is facing losing its most skilled youth.

Earlier this year, the Taoiseach predicted that 400,000 people would sign on. At this stage those figures are steadily being met. FÁS predicts unemployment will increase to 12% by this time next year. In December the ESRI predicted unemployment would rise to 10% in 2009.

Speaking with Fianna Fail MEP candidate Paschal Mooney, he has urged the youth to get out and use their vote. Referring to young people, unemployment was the main issues Paschal came up against in his campaign .

"I believe national government plays a vital role in creating training placements for graduates coming out of colleges with limited employment opportunities, i don’t think they have responded as adequately as they should have, but i do accept there was budget constraints that have impacted adversely in that. The European Union’s social fund provides 45% of the overall budget which is directed at youth employment, training and up skilling and i believe that is the way newly elected MEPs should challenge the fund in creating employment. This constituency (North West) has a great entrepreneurial spirit with 55% of employment coming from small enterprise businesses. I would be a strong advocate in supporting training places for young people. Many people have been living on the margin despite the Celtic Tiger, there is a lot of talent among the youth in this area i would hate to see that wasted, (...) it could come back to haunt us one day."

Aisling, a recent Civil engineering graduate of GMIT, Galway says ‘"I think more emphasis has to be put on students and what happens after they graduate, something needs to be put in place in order to get us to the next level of our careers, there are no jobs out there, I’m facing into the dole queues , it wasn’t the outcome i expected four years ago when i took up my course. If politicians want us to become more aware of them, they should start helping us out".

Thousands of students are leaving the country by the day, in the hope of finding work and a better life elsewhere. Ireland once upon a time was a booming economy with a skilled and ambitious workforce that had the potential to take this country beyond its limits. Now it’s a country left ravaged and burned by an incompetent government who failed to watch for the iceberg. Voting begins tomorrow in the North West.

Wanted: Irish in the European Parliament

2009-06-04T16:37:00.012+01:00

By Gabrielle Campion

75% of candidates for the European Elections said that they would speak Irish in the Parliament in Brussels. They said this whilst answering a Survey lead by Conradh na Gaeilge which was published last week.

Many people have many different reasons for choosing a candidate to vote for – what they would do for the elderly, their policies for the environment etc., and for some the Irish language is the most important factor as they make their decision.

Peadar Mac Fhearghusa, President of Conradh na Gaeilge said that the current Members of the European Parliament are setting a good example with regards to speaking Irish, and that it gave reason for hope to the Conradh and to the Irish speaking community that most of the candidates in this current election are as willing to do this also if they are elected. “Tá dea-shampla ó thaobh labhairt na Gaeilge léirithe ag iar-fheisirí na hEorpa cheana, agus is ábhar dóchais don Chonradh agus do phobal na Gaeilge é go bhfuil tromlach na n-iarrthóirí sa toghchán seo chomh toilteanach, sásta céanna tabhairt faoin nGaeilge a labhairt i bParlaimint na hEorpa má thoghtar iad.”

In order to clarify each candidates stance on this issue, Conradh na Gaeilge made contact with the candidates of the major parties. This is as part of the Conradh’s campaign to encourage people to vote for candidates who are willing to support the Irish language in Europe.

Conradh na Gaeilge asked the candidates two separate questions:
1. (a) If you are elected as a Member of the European Parliament, are you willing to speak
Irish regularly and as common practice in Parliament?
nó
(b) If you are not comfortable with your own standard of Irish, will you improve upon your
level of Irish by taking classes or a self‐taught online course so as to ensure that you will have
sufficient Irish to represent Ireland in the EU using the country's first national language?
2. Will you campaign to end the derogation in
place with regard to the Irish language's status in
the EU, by putting pressure on the EU and the
Government of Ireland to achieve this?

Of the 75% of candidates who answered positively, 27% of them said that they were using Irish already in either the European Parliament, Dáil Éireann or the county council. 70% said that they would improve their Irish if elected. The final 3% said that they had fluent Irish and were looking forward to using it in the parliament.

55% of the candidates said that they would help campaign to put an end to the derogation with regard to the status of Irish in the EU. This derogation means that the European Union only has to translate laws passed by the Council of Ministers and the Parliament together into Irish.

Only one candidate who answered the survey said that he would not speak Irish in the Parliament and that he would not make any effort to improve his Irish in order to do so.

Candidates’ answers and more information is available on the Conradh na Gaeilge website, www.cnag.ie

Ag Teastáil: An Ghaeilge sa Phairlimint Eorpach

2009-06-04T16:22:00.006+01:00

Le Gabrielle Campion

Dúirt 75% d’iarrthóirí sa Toghchán Eorpach go labhróidís an Ghaeilge sa Pharlaimint sa Bhruiséil. Dúirt siad é seo agus iad ag freagairt súirbhé de chuid Chonradh na Gaeilge a foilsíodh an tseachtain seo caite.
Bíonn fáthanna ar leith ag baint le gach rogha iarrthóra, mar shampla, na rudaí a dhéanfadh siad ar son seandaoine, na polasaíthe atá acu mar gheall ar an timpeallacht srl. agus do dhaoine áirithe, bíonn an Ghaeilge mar bhunchloch a rogha.

Mar gheall ar an nGaeilge sa pharlaimint cheana féin, dúirt Pádraig Mac Fhearghusa, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, “Tá dea-shampla ó thaobh labhairt na Gaeilge léirithe ag iar-fheisirí na hEorpa cheana, agus is ábhar dóchais don Chonradh agus do phobal na Gaeilge é go bhfuil tromlach na n-iarrthóirí sa toghchán seo chomh toilteanach, sásta céanna tabhairt faoin nGaeilge a labhairt i bParlaimint na hEorpa má thoghtar iad.”
Chun seasamh gach iarrthóir a shoiléiriú, chuaigh Conradh na Gaeilge i dteagmháil leis na hiarrthóirí ó na príomhpháirtithe polaitíochta mar chuid d’fheachtas atá ar bun acu. Tá siad ag iarraidh ar an bpobal tacaíocht a thabhairt do na hiarrthóirí is mó a bhfuil sásta tacú leis an nGaeilge san Eorap.
D’iarr an Conradh dhá cheist difriúla ar na hiarrthóirí
1. (a) Má thoghtar mar chomhalta de Pharlaimint na hEorpa tú, an labhróidh tú Gaeilge go rialta agus mar ghnáthchleachtas sa Pharlaimint?
nó
(b) Muna bhfuil tú compordach le caighdeán do chuid Gaeilge, an gcuirfidh tú feabhas ar do chuid Gaeilge trí ranganna Gaeilge a ghlacadh / cúrsa féin‐foghlaim ar líne a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go mbeidh do dhóthain Gaeilge agat chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar Éirinn san Aontas Eorpach ag baint úsáid as an bpríomhtheanga náisiúnta?

2. An gcabhróidh tú le deireadh a chur leis an maolú maidir le stádas na Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach (AE) trí bhrú a chur ar Rialtas na hÉireann agus ar an Aontas Eorpach chuige sin?

Ón 75% d’iarrthóirí a d’fhreagair go dearfach, dúirt 27% acu go bhfuil siad ag úsáid na Gaeilge sa Pharlaimint, sa Dáil nó sa Chomhairle Chontae cheana féin. Dúirt 70% acu go gcuiridís feabhas ar a gcuid Gaeilge má thoghfar iad. Dúirt an 3% eile go raibh an Ghaeilge go líofa acu cheana agus go raibh siad ag súil léí a húsáid sa pharlaimint.
Dúirt 55% de na hiarrthóirí go gcabhróidís le deireadh a chur leis an maolú maidir le stádas na Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach. Is éard atá i gceist leis an maolú seo ná nach mbíonn ar an Aontas Eorpach gach dlí a chur ar fáil as Gaeilge ach amháin rialacháin a dhéanann Comhairle na nAirí agus Parlaimint na hEorpa in éineacht a chéile.

Dúirt duine amháin de na hiarrthóirí a d’fhreagair an ceistiúchán nach labhródh sé an Ghaeilge agus nach ndéanfadh sé iarracht feabhas a chur ar a chuid Gaeilge chun é seo a dhéanamh.

Tá freagraí na n-iarrthóirí uilig agus tuilleadh eolais ar fáil ar shuíomh idirlín Chonradh na Gaeilge www.cnag.ie

Europe- It’s the Final Countdown

2009-06-04T15:05:00.009+01:00

By Dónal Hassett

Swedish 80’s pop band ‘Europe’ provide us with a fitting title for our final look at the Dublin constituency in the upcoming Euro-elections. As we enter the week of “The Final Countdown” the time has come to ask to whom the voters of our fair city will by saying “farewell”.

Few if any punters would dispute that Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell and Labour’s Proinsias de Rossa are home and dry in these elections. The real contest is to be seen in the three way battle for the final seat between sitting MEPs, Fianna Fáil’s Eoin Ryan and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, and Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins. While this seat is looking increasingly hard to call, there is no doubt but that transfers will dictate the outcome.

Eoin Ryan is sure to attract transfers from his running mate, Dublin Lord Mayor, Eibhlin Byrne but these alone will not be enough to save his seat. Fianna Fail's coalition partners, the Green Party, have refused to call for a voting pact but Deirdre de Burca’s transfers are Eoin Ryan’s last hope. The other pro-Lisbon candidates, Gay Mitchell and Prionsias De Rossa, will not have large surpluses to transfer on to Eoin Ryan so Ryan is reliant on a high middle-class vote running scared of Sinn Fein and the Socialists and transfers from the Green candidate. While Eoin Ryan has quite the reputation as the comeback kid, it’s hard to see how Fianna Fail can salvage this seat with the tide so against them.

This leaves a two-horse race between Joe Higgins, the old socialist stalwart, and Sinn Fein's Vice-President Mary Lou Mc Donald for what some have called the ‘anti-Lisbon’ seat. While Sinn Fein are known to find it hard to attract transfers the Socialists are not immune to this phenomenon either. Polls indicate that Mary Lou is set to gain around 13% of the first preference vote putting her 4% ahead of Joe Higgins. It’s hard to see how Higgins will be able to narrow this gap as preferences from anti-Lisbon campaigner Patricia Mc Kenna are likely to be split between the two candidates.

So as the Day of Reckoning approaches, it seems that Eoin Ryan will be staying at home in Dublin come June 7th while the rest of Dublin’s Euro-team will be returning to Brussels and Strasbourg. However, as we all know, the only poll that can be trusted is the one on election day.

Northern Ireland report

2009-06-04T14:35:00.007+01:00

The Northern Ireland team met with Ian Parsley of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland...

Who are they?

2009-06-04T14:31:00.005+01:00

Report by Emma Mundy, North West correspondent

Camerman: Kevin Fagan
Editor: Tom Griffin

Donegal report

2009-06-04T14:30:00.002+01:00

Report by Emma Mundy, North West correspondent

Eoghan Dockrell meets Patricia McKenna

2009-06-04T14:11:00.002+01:00

Eoghan Dockrell, Dublin correspondent, caught up with Patricia McKenna during the week...

Taoiseach Brian Cowen: Fianna Fáil "not flavour of the month"

2009-06-04T13:55:00.009+01:00

Dublin correspondent Eoghan Dockrell met with Taoiseach Brian Cowen to hear his views on youth voter apathy and Fianna Fáil's prospects in the European elections...

Only time will tell...

2009-06-04T12:35:00.010+01:00

By Ruth Feeley

With mere hours to go before the country casts its vote and dictates the future of the ever hopeful politicians, little indications have been made as to who may make the victorious scoop.

Between talking to random members of the public, as well as keeping an eye on the campaign trail, I have a suspicion that Fianna Fail’s Eoin Ryan may be blowing a sorry kiss goodbye to his seat in Europe. Only yesterday, a leisurely walk along the river Liffey told a telling story with all of Eoin Ryan’s posters defaced to paint a negative picture. Posters, where he claimed to be for jobs from Europe, were instead covered with the print “I am for MY job in Europe.” Others were covered in taglines such as "Fianna Fail got us into this mess” and so on. Not that it is necessarily a personal unease with Mr. Ryan, but the fact that he is attached to the ever decreasingly popular Fianna Fail will do him no favours.

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa is a safe bet, or so I feel. He has mostly avoided making his campaign an attack on all opposition and I think his graceful approach will serve him well. He has highlighted some major issues in his campaign which may be trickier to result in positive changes, but the country needs a man that will fight for important causes, such as the country’s problems with drugs.

Gay Mitchell has the added advantage of being affiliated with Fine Gael who are enjoying increasing popularity and this will in no doubt benefit his chances.

And then there was one. And though I loathe to admit it, I feel that Green Party Senator Deirdre De Burca will be lucky enough to seize the much sought after third seat. I feel that her campaign has revealed an unattractive side, with ruthless attacks on her opposition, yet elements of the Green campaign strike many as very important and that is what will count come D-Day.

The elusive third party

2009-06-04T10:58:00.012+01:00

By Sam Law, Feresha Bayramova and Katie Murphy

An open race for Northern Ireland's third seat

Although the political status quo in the North can hardly be said to have changed drastically over the period of this European election, there have been several significant political developments; the split of the Unionist vote has left the previously unthinkable prospect of Sinn Féin becoming the country’s biggest party a looming possibility, the hard-line power race between the DUP and TUV has done nothing but intensify (perhaps at the expense of the peace process) and the lot of smaller parties has been potentially significantly reduced (the previously significant SDLP having slipped further into that category too).

It’s interesting to make a prediction about who’ll win seats, primarily in the context of which of the two heavy hitters will come out on top. Although both de Brun and Dodds will hardly worry about having positions come Monday morning, there could be a fascinating change in power-dynamic if the former comes out on top. Further, the availability of the third position remains remarkably up in the air. Although the UUP/Conservative Jim Nicholson remains favourite to pick up the seat, the unknown quantity of the Allister/TUV vote could potentially (and many nationalists will remark, hopefully) cause more of an even divide with the heavily-criticised UUP, clearing the way for Alban McGuinness to seize the outside chance and the open third seat.

Dublin MEP prediction

2009-06-04T10:43:00.013+01:00

By Eoghan Dockrell

Despite the two candidates' protestations that their seats are not safe, both Labour's Proinsias De Rossa and Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell will (exempting some last minute campaign implosion) easily secure a seat in the European Parliament.

The next question to be tackled is who will snatch the final seat. For a while it appeared to be a two horse race between Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin and Eoin Ryan of Fianna Fail. Certainly the media covered the election as if this were the case. However, the most recent opinion polls suggest Socialist party candidate, Joe Higgins is hot on Mary Lou’s heels and will be in the fray right until the bitter end.

I think Eoin Ryan will fail to triumph over his rivals. Firstly, given his association with Fianna Fáil, he will struggle to attract the transfers or preferences desperately needed to push him past the post. His chances will be further weakened by perhaps the poor party strategy of fielding two Fianna Fail candidates in an already crowded race and in an environment not amenable to candidates connected with the Government's parties. Nor will the notoriously efficient Fianna Fail campaign machine be able to galvanise sufficient support to do the business for their candidate.

Ultimately, I think Mary Lou will snatch the final seat. At the end of the count everything will hinge on the amount of preferences and transfers the two candidates can attract. My view is that Mary Lou’s pile will be bigger. Generally speaking, neither party is the preferred choice for moderate voters when it comes to allocating preferences. Looking at past elections, Joe Higgins has garnered few transfers in comparison to other candidates. In this area Mary Lou should have the edge and by extension, find herself in a better position when the count is concluded.

Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be....an MEP

2009-06-04T09:58:00.009+01:00

By Kate Manning

From the recent TNS/MRBI poll the East Constituency looks to be easily predictable. Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael) is a certainty and has been from day one of the campaign trail. She will embark on her second term in the European Parliament and deservedly so.

Having spent time with Mairead in Brussels this March, it’s clear she is dedicated to Europe and works extremely hard. It became apparent quite early on in my trip to Brussels that her peers, not just from Ireland, hold her in high regard. She will most definitely spend the next five years in the European Parliament. However, I don’t believe she will secure her seat by as great a margin as the previous polls have suggested as a vote management strategy by Fine Gael in the south of the constituency will see many people transferring their votes to John Paul Phelan

Liam Aylward (Fianna Fáil) is another certainty. Having performed well in the opinion polls, he has a lot of support in the constituency particulary in the Carlow/Kilkenny area. He too has worked hard and deserves his seat. I spent some time with him also in Brussels and I was impressed with how passionately he spoke about Europe and his role in the Parliament. Also with Fianna Fail possibly about to bear the brunt of the nations anger, diehard supporters of the party will make sure Liam gets the vote.

Nessa Childers (Labour) also looks set to take a seat. She launched a successful campaign and I think a lot of people will vote for her because of her father. I met her briefly and was not impressed at her dismissive nature. Maybe it is because I’m young but at the end of the day I still have a vote. Also while on air in KCLR the Carlow/Kilkenny radio station, she made a serious mistake by saying she did not “have a huge knowledge about agriculture”. Unfortunately agriculture is an essential part of the EU. Regardless of this matter, she does look like the favourite to win the third seat, just ahead of John Paul Phelan.

Being a young voter, I would have liked to have seen John Paul Phelan take the last seat. His age plays a big part in this as does his honesty about not knowing everything about Europe but being willing to learn. I thought that would have been a journey all younger voters could embark on with him if he were successful. No doubt he would have raised awareness for the EU here in Ireland. Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that he will succeed. Pity though.

So my prediction: Mairead McGuinness, Liam Aylward and Nessa Childers to take the three seats.

Alan Kelly to just make it, with Brian Crowley and Seán Kelly topping the poll down South!

2009-06-04T01:26:00.015+01:00

By Séamus Mac Suibhne

The best approach to predicting an election is to probably adopt an age old exam tip, something that young people everywhere will have heard countless times. Answer what you know first, tackle the difficult subjects later. So one prediction I can safely make is that Brian Crowley will once again be elected as an MEP for the South. The anti-Fianna Fáil sentiment that’s sweeping through the country at present seems to have had no effect whatsoever on his popularity as he’s been constantly polling well above all other candidates down South. This is nothing new of course. Since first being elected in 1994 he has been re-elected twice since, with a very high percentage of the vote on both occasions. Not only is he leader of the Fianna Fail delegation in the European Parliament, he is also president of the European Party UEN (Union of Europe of the Nations). He is arguably Ireland’s preeminent and most experienced member of the European Parliament, with a prolific political career in Europe behind him. Barring a complete catastrophe, he will definitely be the first to be elected.

Another safe answer I can give is that Fine Gael will definitely have a candidate elected. The only question is who. Based on polling data to date, and with a much greater profile amongst the ordinary public, I’d have to go for Seán Kelly to get elected next. Having served as president of the GAA, even those with little or no interest in politics will at least recognise the face and name come June 5th. He will certainly appeal to a wider audience as a result of this, and may be seen more as an “honest daycent fella” as opposed to “wan of those politicians”. This should be enough to see off sitting MEP Colm Burke for the Fine Gael seat.

The final safe answer I can give is to tell you who I think definitely won’t get elected. Firstly, neither Maurice Sexton nor Dr. Alexander Stafford has any chance of getting elected, although Dr. Stafford has run an impressive campaign to date. Ned O’Keeffe TD has no realistic chance of being elected either, with any votes for Brian Crowley unlikely to contain transfers to himself, as the majority of voters will be voting for Brian Crowley personally as opposed to voting for Fianna Fail this time around.

Senator Dan Boyle of the Green Party will have to contend with some of the “collateral damage” of an unpopular government, as he put it himself, and will have no chance of being elected either. Cllr Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Féin should ultimately come up short, as Sinn Fein would hardly be expected to profit from any transfers of votes from either of the main parties. Their staunch anti-Lisbon sentiments may just come back to haunt them in these European elections.

Now this is just like those difficult final parts of questions in an exam. You really wish you could be sure of your answer, but you’re just going to have to give it your best shot and see how it goes! One of Kathy Sinott MEP (Independent), Senator Alan Kelly (Labour) or Colm Burke MEP (Fine Gael) will take the final seat, and I’m going to go for Alan Kelly. I doubt that Colm Burke has the profile outside of Cork to get elected, as he was only appointed to the Parliament in 2007 following Simon Coveney being elected to the Dáil in the general election. So I predict it will be a very close race between Alan Kelly and Kathy Sinott. Riding on the crest of the current Labour wave, I have a gut feeling that Alan Kelly will just make it however. He’s had a very clever and media savvy campaign to date, with everything from rap songs on YouTube to endorsements from ex-Ireland rugby stars, and it should be enough to get the young Senator over the line this weekend.

Who's the fairest of them all?

2009-06-04T01:15:00.030+01:00

By Grace Campbell

Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Fine Gael, Labour or Fianna Fáil?

Oh, how the tides have turned. In the run up to the elections in 2004, MEP Mairéad McGuinness was an outside bet when she entered the rat race. Now, in 2009 she is the only sure bet to bag a coveted seat in the East constituency.

Her campaign this year has been strong, active and fearless. The vote count at the weekend is a formality for the “straight talking” MEP. What will interest Fine Gael is not whether Ms. McGuinness gets through or not (that's already a given) but by how much and if she can carry John Paul Phelan over the threshold with her.

Mair ead McGuinness speaking to Grace Campbell in Navan, Co. Meath

Although Fianna Fail, as a party, is not in the most popular position, MEP Liam Aylward looks set to retain his seat in the East. He too has provided constituents with a strong, vigorous campaign and has demonstrated a worthy voice in European negotiations over the last five years.

Can his personality win out over his party? In this case, the deeply rooted Kilkenny man with his political family record will hold onto his unwavering support in the heart of Leinster and be pulled across the finishing line.

Liam Aylward speaking to Grace Campbell in Leixlip, Co. Kildare

The last seat is where the fun really begins. It is a battle between Labour and Fine Gael for the final seat from two candidates who will provide fresh blood in Europe for the East.

Mismanagement of votes could scupper John Paul Phelan's chances of being elected. Nessa Childer’s “Foxrock” image could damage her credibility among agriculturally based voters.

It will depend on whether voters want Fine Gael dominance for the East in Europe again or a change with Labour's perspective in the pot for good measure.

John Paul Phelan vs. Nessa Childers

McGuinness, Aylward and Childers is the combination that I believe will come out on top for the East constituency. Whether this threesome tickles your fancy or boils your blood, you can make a difference by voting on Friday, 5 June.

Sinn Fein will secure seat in the South

2009-06-03T23:42:00.012+01:00

By Catherine Moore

There are ten candidates vying for the three seats in the South Constituency.

The candidates are: Dan Boyle of the Green Party, Colm Burke of Fine Gael, Sean Kelly of Fine Gael, Brian Crowley of Fianna Fail, Ned O’Keeffe of Fianna Fail, Kathy Sinnott Independent, Alexander Stafford Independent, Maurice Sexton Independent, Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Féin and Alan Kelly of Labour.

The current seats are held by Brian Crowley Fianna Fail, Kathy Sinnott, Independent and Colm Burke, Fine Gael.

The following are my predictions for the election:

With the current economic situation, and scandals such as the Anglo Irish Bank situation, I do not think Fianna Fail will retain their seat. The feeling on the ground in the South is that people are very unhappy with the current government. Whether the government is the cause or the scapegoat of the recession is debatable. However, what is not debatable is that people are angry at the government and I do not think Brian Crowley will retain his seat.

Crowley will loose his seat to Alan Kelly, Labour. Aside from the recent Irish Times opinion poll showing Labour coming in second to Fine Gael, Alan Kelly has a good solid campaign behind him. Voters are inclined to back this Tipperary man. He is a young fresh candidate which will work in his favour in this time when the country is seeking change. His by now infamous rap song has ensured that younger voters know his name.

Colm Burke of Fine Gael will retain his seat. The Irish Times opinion poll shows Fine Gael topping the poll. There will be a good fight between Burke and Sean Kelly, the other Fine Gael candidate, but I think that Burke, an ex Lord Mayor of Cork, will not be short of support.

Kathy Sinnott, Independent, will lose her seat to Toireasa Ferris, Sinn Fein. Ferris has been very visible and audible throughout the elections. She also has the advantage of being quite easy on the eye and this had definitely caught attention. I saw a conversation on Facebook between two male friends today, saying they were defiantly voting for her because of her "hotness".

On a more serious note though, North Kerry and West and Southern Limerick are traditionally areas where Sinn Fein enjoys much support. Toireasa is young, well educated, opinionated and like Alan Kelly, I think she will benefit from voters wanting change.

Summary of my predictions
1. Colm Burke, Fine Gael
2. Alan Kelly, Labour
3. Toireasa Ferris, Sinn Féin

Who will win the European Elections in the South?

2009-06-03T23:26:00.015+01:00

By Owen Gleeson

We were asked by our charges in Youth Media for Europe who in our opinion would win in our constituency. While I could make a decent stab at it; I thought to myself who would I trust more? Automatically, I thought of the bookies. They rarely get it wrong. Here are all the prices from Paddy Power.

Brian Crowley (Fianna Fail) 1/100

Toireasa Ferris (Sinn Fein) 5/1

Dan Boyle (Green) 33/1

Seán Kelly (Fine Gael) 1/100

Colm Burke (Fine Gael) 10/1

Alexander Stafford (Independent) 66/1

Alan Kelly (Labour) 8/15

Ned O'Keeffe (Fianna Fail) 25/1

Maurice Sexton (Independent) 200/1

Kathy Sinnott (Independent) 4/6

So the first two positions are pretty much a dead cert. If you consider that Kerry is 8/15 to win the Munster title then you’re pretty much guaranteed that Crowley and ex GAA man Sean Kelly are in.

But it is the battle for third that offers much better value. I would fancy Kathy Sinnot’s price of 4/6 over Alan Kelly’s 8/15 because she is a current MEP and form is important in any event. However, more importantly an independent has always gotten elected in the South Constituency since the elections have started. Anyone in the gambling world knows consistency is vital.

My tip for the future is Toireasa Ferris who has run a gallant race but will ultimately end outside a place position. She has age on her side which is very important but she is also from a stable outside of the big 3, whose form has been very poor of late. Another important factor in her prospective future chances is that her father has a history of big upsets. He famously beat Dick Spring into fourth place for the much coveted TD spot in the North Kerry elections. I can see his daughter doing well in the future North Kerry elections probably repeating her father’s success there.

The other lads in the race are a bit of gamble. Colm Burke’s preparation hasn’t gone as well as planned. Ned O’Keeffe on the other hand never really got into contention.

And the seat goes too...

2009-06-03T22:49:00.017+01:00

By Orla Walsh

Ireland's North West constituency is the biggest in Ireland, spanning 11 counties and four provinces. Many of the European candidates have found the campaign circuit to be a difficult one. Marian Harkin, Independent said she considered it a big challenge and Paschal Mooney, Fianna Fail said: “It's physically impossible to meet every one of the half a million voters.”
With voting taking place this Friday 5 of June there is a lot of speculation as to who will be successful.With thirteen people running for just three seats the competition is high. Below are just some of my opinions as to the results.

I believe that the people of the North West, and Ireland in general, are looking for an alternative, a person who will give them hope in such bleak circumstances. I think that the independents will come in here. Marian Harkin, as a sitting MEP has had the opportunity to work the constituency since 2004 and I think that she will be re-elected through Friday's vote. I personally see her as a very approachable candidate and think she has always been very visible.

If one is to believe the opinion polls that have been circulating in recent months, this election should bring about a huge shift in party popularity. I think that Fianna Fail are going to receive a huge backlash from the current economic situation that we are in here in Ireland. The citizens are angry and I believe they will show this through their vote on Friday. Because of this, I think that Susan O'Keefe, Labour, will prove popular on Friday. I feel the Labour Party is being perceived as the alternative to the bigger parties like Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and has become increasingly popular. Their leader Eamon Gilmore has consistently outstripped his opponents, Enda Kenny and Brian Cowen. I believe that this proves there is a chance that Susan O'Keefe may be elected.

The big question in the North West constituency is whether Fianna Fail or Fine Gael will take up the third seat. In my opinion, Jim Higgins as a sitting MEP holds an advantage over both Paschal Mooney and Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher. He, like Marian Harkin has been able to work in the constituency. I personally feel that he will be successful in retaining his seat.

But in what order? I think that it will be:

1. Marian Harkin

2. Jim Higgins

3. Susan O'Keefe

Hopefully I'm right, thought that's not saying I'd place a bet or anything..!

On your Marks, Get Set

2009-06-03T22:09:00.007+01:00

by Mike Bray

According to the bookmakers, the race for who will top the poll in the East constituency is already over. Paddy Power has Mairead Mc Guinness at 1/20 to top the poll and at 1/100 to retain her seat. This is a fine example of how Ms. Mc Guinness’ popularity has grow in five years seeing as she was 20/1 to top the poll in 2004.

Although the polls are where most people look at election time, the bookies are also a great place to look to see who is most likely to win the seat when you consider these people have to earn their living from the odds they put out. Paddy Power feels that the other two seats will go to Liam Aylward (1/10) of Fianna Fail and Labour’s Nessa Childers (1/6). They seem to think the only other candidate with a realistic change to challenging for a seat is Senator John Paul Phelan of Fine Gael.

Nessa Childers has come under pressure in recent week for her lack of knowledge of the agricultural sector in an area were it is at the heart of every debate and the East is also the constituency which returned three candidates with strong agricultural links in 2004. Childers has been very quite in the debates and on the canvass too. I feel her strong poll showings are more a reflection of the national performance of the party and leader Eamon Gilmore rather than Ms. Childers herself.

It’s very hard to know how Liam Aylward will do in the current climate and with the possibly of a strong protest vote against Fianna Fail in one of its heartlands. However I feel that he will just about cross over the line with the help of the transfers’ sponge candidate Thomas Byrne soaks up in the north of the constituency.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry is saying that Mairead McGuinness will not just top the poll but she will cross it with a possible record result. While I feel she will top the poll, I don’t think she will win it as easily as many think (she will still win easily). Many voters will have heard the media saying all she has to do is turn up at the count, but I think many will hear this and feel it may then be a waste of a vote seeing as she is home and dry and decide to give their first preference to another candidate. However McGuinness will still have enough to carry Phelan across the line.

So there it is I’m actually going to go against the bookies and call the three seats for Mairead McGuinness, Liam Aylward and the outside bet of John Paul Phelan.

Calling the South constituency

2009-06-03T21:12:00.010+01:00

By Paul Kennedy

Saturday
The people have decided. They have made their intentions clear. They have made their etchings on the paper, that old-school, irreplaceable piece of paper, placed in a box, and now removed, spread out on the table with all its fellow papers sleeves, before the undaunted counters.

Down South way, Munster robbed of fair Clare, the story is the same. We read the papers, we watch the endless Primetime specials, we look as Dobson and Miriam guide us through the blue, red and green bars which detail the scenario as it is at the time. We wait for the occasional 5 minutes of airtime that we have earned, dotted occasionally amid the fevered discussion about Dublin and the Aherns. Our news drips out mostly unnoticed, spare change from the holed pocket, meaningful, but insubstantial when compared to the walleted back pocket of our fair capital.

Three people to be picked. The classic rock trio. 3 blind mice, the Three Stooges. The Beegees. But who are they? Who's our Alvin, Simon and Theodore? We should know come Saturday, unless we come into a Florida situation, and the pieces of paper become tattered and frayed from overuse, the counter's hands bloody and raw, suffering from a similar ailment.

Odds point towards Brian Cowley getting in again. It seems that the tactic of making the Fianna Fáil Logo on the election posters so small that to make it any smaller would suck the poster into a black hole of its own physics-defying creation seems to have payed off.

I think its a bit of a toss-up between Colm Burke and Sean Kelly of Fine Gael getting it, but, if some strange person with a penchant for forced betting put a gun to my head, I would say Sean Kelly will get in. He's a well recognized man, and if you have that and aren't in prison, that's enough. Plus, Burke will be relying on preferences, whereas Sean Kelly will get enough firsts to amble in, beard in full flow.

The last seat is tough to call, but I'm gonna go out on a precariously wobbly limb here and go for Toireasa Ferris. She seems intelligent, she's polling surprisingly well, and a pretty face gets you far these days. Also, there's enough anti-Lisbon talk still going around to edge her over the finish line past Kathy Sinnott and Alan Kelly. Like 'em or loath them, you can't argue that Sinn Féin aren't at least different.

Poor Dan Boyle is just another casualty of thee Fianna Fail 'Lets lump it on the coalition party' syndrome that killed the PDs a couple of years back. Ever notice how the party with just two ministerial posts are always giving us the bad news? Michael McDowell suffered from a similar experience.

McGuiness will win it

2009-06-03T19:00:00.008+01:00

By Brigid O Gorman

There is very little doubt over who will top the poll in Ireland East this weekend. All polls indicate that vote-getting supremo Mairead McGuiness will top the poll; many polls have indicated that she will gain a third of first preference votes.

The second seat in the constituency will almost certainly go to incumbent Fianna Fail MEP Liam Aylward. There has been some speculation in the media that anti-Fianna Fail sentiment may lead to Aylward losing his seat but opinion polls indicate that he will retain it and that he will come second in the poll. His long career in politics, his personal popularity and the fact that he is the member of a political family which is well used to running election campaigns will all work in his favour. As will the fact that his running mate in the northern half of the constituency is the popular young TD Thomas Byrne; he should be a decent vote sweeper without causing any threat to Aylward’s seat.

The real interest in the East is in the final seat. The retirement from EU politics of Fine Gael’s Avril Doyle meant that the fight for this seat was left wide open. The only realistic contenders are Labour’s Nessa Childers and Fine Gael's John Paul Phelan. Fine Gael would be sorely disappointed to lose this seat and they may benefit from the anti-government sentiment and from transfers from McGuinness if she gets a large enough first preference vote. However, it would require masterful vote management on their part. Retaining two seats in a three seat constituency would not be an easy task for any party. Labour's Nessa Childers has been running a very active campaign and has consistently polled third in the opinion polls. This third seat will be decided on the transfers each candidate receives and on the size of Childer’s first preference vote.

Prediction: Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael); Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail); Nessa Childers (Labour)

Past the final hurdle and on to the home straight…But shall anyone fall?

2009-06-03T17:47:00.008+01:00

By Gabrielle Campion

The most likely candidates to gain seats in the North West Constituency seem to be Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher and Marian Harkin.

The controversy surrounding his initial nomination, his well-known name and the fact that he has already spent eight years as an MEP will definitely help Mr. Gallagher in his performance in the 5 June hurdle race. These factors, coupled with the fact that the fair people of Dún na nGall often favour their own in situations like this, mean that Pat ‘The Cope’ is almost certain to acquire a seat in Friday’s Elections.

Marian Harkin, a native of Co. Sligo, is favoured for the second seat in the constituency. Athlone man, Tom, on Primetime on Tuesday 2 June, said he would vote for Marian because “she’s a woman and she’s a hard worker”. Both are certainly and undoubtedly true. The liklihood of a photo-finish for first place is strong. Ms. Harkin proved herself to be a competent runner during her five years in Brussels and with the current lack of trust in our country’s government, an independent voice will be strongly backed.

When preparation for the race began there were rumours of a radical change in the North West constituency in the form of the conservative Declan Ganley and his Libertas, yet those rumours have been all but shattered with popularity polls showing Mr. Ganley at a low of 9%. Bookies’ odds however show Ganley just behind Marian Harkin.

It is possible that Declan Ganley, Padraig MacLochlainn and Joe O’ Reilly may battle for the third and final seat in the North-West Constituency with current MEP, Jim Higgins. But, realistically, with yet another photo-finish for third, Jim Higgins will sprint in, a nose ahead of the others to regain his seat as third MEP for Ireland North-West.

The first two are almost certain, but third place is going to be close. The verdict, I predict, will be delayed, with recount after recount, but, in the end, the people will stick to their guns.

We like change here in Ireland, but not that much.

Dublin: Who will win?

2009-06-03T15:51:00.007+01:00

By Amy Bracken

It’s no secret that Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael and Labour’s Prionsias De Rossa are the favourites to fill two of the European Parliament seats for the Dublin constituency, but who will take the third seat?

Gay Mitchell and Prionsias de Rossa have performed so well in the polls that I am without doubt they will be re-elected with landslide victories. Mr Mitchell’s work for development, which is not simply confined to Europe, and the fact that Fine Gael are by far the most popular party, and Mr De Rossa’s openness regarding his salary and expenses (available on (www.derossa.com) as well as the fact that the Labour Party is currently performing brilliantly in the opinion polls, appear to add to their popularity. But with the number of Dublin seats set to fall from 4 to 3, the race for the 3rd and final seat couldn’t be tighter. My work for Youth Media for Europe has given me a great insight into the campaigns of all the candidates and has set me thinking about this burning question.

Despite the obvious contempt for Fianna Fail considering the current economic climate, I’m optimistic for Eoin Ryan. While the reports claim that Fianna Fail are in for a disastrous result in the elections, I think Mr Ryan’s large campaign, his experience and his own individual achievements are enough to relieve him of the current criticism of his party. Combined with the fact that his self-noted greatest achievements from his five years in parliament are to do with monetary matters, considering the current financial climate, it is my belief that he is a probable contender for the 3rd and final seat.

My work for Youth Media for Europe has shown that popularity for Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Fein has been undermined by her low attendance record. Ms McDonald has noted her maternity leave as being the reason for her ranking as the 13th worst attendee of the Parliament, but this argument was shunned last week when it was revealed that the figures on www.candidatewatch.ie/ are actually based on numbers derived from 2008.

Despite the polls showing that Sinn Fein are amongst the most popular parties in the country, it appears that the electorate are more interested in individual attributes as opposed to party loyalties when it comes to the European elections.

As for the first-timers - Caroline Simons (Libertas), Senator Deirdre De Búrca (The Green Party), Eibhlin Byrne (Fianna Fail), and Joe Higgins (The Socialist Party), I have seen little in the way of campaigning in the case of the latter 2, and I think this will be costly for them. They have not been very responsive when contacted, and thus if they are not seeking publicity it is probable that this will impact negatively on them.

Thus, first count: Prionsias de Rossa, second count: Gay Mitchell, third count: Eoin Ryan?

Only Sunday’s results will tell.

Recession hits election campaigns hard

2009-06-03T09:53:00.010+01:00

By Catherine Moore

The European elections campaigns have been hit hard by the recession. The current economic crisis means that candidates have less money to spend on their campaigns, as they canvass around the country looking for votes.
Candidates have had to cut costs on posters, leaflets, advertising and transport costs.

Sinn Féin South candidate Toireasa Ferris said that the recession means she had a tighter budget of €35,000, which is funded by the Sinn Fein office. “There is very little money available on the ground...,” she said. “Munster is a huge area and if the press doesn’t cover me for whatever reason, don’t like what I am saying, do not have space etc., and then it is hard to speak to everyone,” she added.

Ferris does however think there are positive aspects to having a smaller budget: “…having a tight budget has made campaigning on the ground even more important and I have found this exhilarating and rewarding. Meeting people and getting such a good response feeds back into the campaign and energises us all. The recession may hit people’s ability to contribute financially but they sure have plenty to say,” she said.

Independent candidate Kathy Sinnott said that she has found it “difficult to fund the election this year, but people have been generous even though it has been difficult for them”.

Toireasa Ferris is currently the only candidate from the South to have a breakdown of her election expenses on her website. Green Party South candidate, Dan Boyle predicts expenses of €60,000. Kathy Sinnott said she will publish her expenses once the election is over. Other candidates contacted had not given a response by time of publication.

A Vote at 16…

2009-06-02T23:25:00.010+01:00

By Brigid O Gorman

At the end of January this year the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) launched the ‘Vote at 16’ campaign. The aim of this campaign was to reduce the voting age for European and local elections to 16.

While a referendum must be held to change the voting age for the Dáil and referenda, the Minister for the Environment can simply change the law to allow young people to vote in local and European elections. The law was not changed before these elections but that does not mean it will not be changed to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in the next EU elections in five years time. Such a move would certainly strengthen the youth voice among voters and would make politicians more reactive to their concerns.

The NYCI makes the point that at 16 young people can leave school, take on full time employment and be held in a detention centre. Thee NYCI also says that it would be easier to ensure that 16 year olds are registered to vote as the vast majority of them are still in school and living at home. This is not the case with 18 year olds who are often in the process of moving away from home and so do not register to vote; according to NYCI 25% of 18-25 year olds aren’t on the register.

Some people may argue that 16 and 17 year olds are not mature enough to vote and would not be interested in voting anyway. This is unfair and does not take into account the young people out there who are interested in politics and how it affects the world around them. Young people learn about politics in school now through the Civil Social and Political Education (CSPE) course at Junior Cert level and a new subject, Politics and Society, is being developed for the Leaving Cert curriculum and should come on stream over the next few years.

At 16 you can be held responsible for you own actions and so it is reasonable to have the right to vote and to have some say in how the world around you is run. 'Vote at 16' also has a BeBo site which contains many comments from young people who are supportive of this campaign. It is very possible that by the next European Parliament elections, 16 year olds will be able to vote. So, all those MEPs should listen to the youth voice, because come re-election time it might be even more important.

Hands up if you love Lisbon!

2009-06-02T13:25:00.008+01:00

By Ruth Feeley

Time is running out and decisions need to be made. This time last year, every Irish conversation couldn’t but touch on the big L-word, i.e. Lisbon. This year, Lisbon seems to have taken a back seat, mores the pity as it should play a big role as to whom we choose to represent us on the European platform.

Last year, leading Irish political parties took a major blow in a European context when the people of Ireland rejected the treaty. Ireland was regarded as an embarrassment to Europe as well as ungrateful and foolish. MEPs were supposedly given the cold shoulder in the aftermath of what many regarded as a misinformed Irish decision. While surveys would show that the no campaign has taken a knock in the last year with people realising that we are in a royal mess and we may very well have to return to Europe with our tails between our legs for help, the jury is still out on whither a yes vote will be returned next time around.

Now is the time to make up our minds for once and for all because it might be worth taking your stance on Lisbon into account when choosing an MEP on Friday.

Green Party MEP candidate Senator Deirdre De Burca today urged voters to choose their third European Parliament representative with great care. She advised voters to choose someone committed to a properly re-negotiated Lisbon Treaty and sensible economics aimed at growth and jobs. De Burca went on to voice her predictions based on the feedback she has received while out canvassing. She feels that two of the three seats are practically secure for Labour candidate Proinsias De Rossa and Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell. Seeing as the Dublin constituency are having their seats reduced from four to three, she feels that only one seat is up for grabs and people should make that all important choice with a pro–Lisbon idea in mind.

She argues that it both Joe Higgins and Mary-Lou Mc Donald shouldn’t be given consideration as they are still insisting on a no vote to Lisbon, which brings it down to herself and Fianna Fáil candidate Eoin Ryan. She says, “He (Eoin Ryan) is a decent man and a good politician. But he's also a long-time part of the political system, which over the last decade created the mess we are now in.”

Either way, we would be selling ourselves short to vote on anything again without knowing some background information. We can’t accuse politicians this time of not making their stance clear. If the Irish people bothered to actually read up on the Lisbon Treaty rather than waiting to be spoon fed, we might garner a more profitable result this time round. We had no one to really blame last time but ourselves. We have more control than we think, so rather than sitting around complaining about our government and European representation, we should get up off our backsides, inform ourselves and choose accordingly.

One out of 25 aint' bad...it's terrible!

2009-06-02T12:55:00.015+01:00

Tuesday 2 June

By Robert Tuomey

I asked 25 young people what they knew about the elections on 5 June. Out of the 25 young people aged 18- 24, only 14 were registered to vote and only nine said they were going to use their vote. When I questioned the remaining nine about who they thought would win, I was told by three of them that they honestly didn’t know the difference between who was running for Europe and who was up for the local election, but that they would vote for anyone who wasn’t Fianna Fáil. Two more people said that they were not aware that there was going to be two ballet papers to choose candidates from. There were then three young people left, who were all over the age of 20, and could name some of the candidates from the parties. When I asked what happens in Europe when the candidate is elected, only one person was able to answer me and it turned out that he was a member of Young Fine Gael and had what he called a healthy interest in politics.

So really, what do the young people of the North West know about the European elections? The sad answer is very little. The questions that I was asked most by the 25 young people were about all the signs all over the county, who was for Europe and who was local, how much does it cost for these signs and who pays for them.

I recently travelled from Castlebar in Mayo to Cork city by way of bus. As you can imagine, that’s a lot of time to look out a window. From the moment, I left my house to go to the bus stop I was greeted by Declan Ganlay, Pat the Cope, Susan O Keefe, Pascal Mooney, Jim Higgins and Joe O Reilly. These faces, along with the face of every other wannabe politician, followed me to the Ennis bypass, (which seemed to be sponsored by Pascal Mooney, maybe it’s the Pascal Mooney bypass and nobody told me), but I started counting his posters on the road back and I very quickly ran out of fingers and toes. I wonder if it is something that politicians have figured out, like when you’re teaching a child to match words with pictures. In the same way, if we see someone’s face enough times with the words ‘vote number 1’, on June 5th we will all be in a hypnotic state when we go in to the polling booth and just vote for the face we saw the most of.

I can understand they want the vote but when the poster lists what order I should give the other party members my vote that makes me want to vote for the poor independent candidate who has just one poster for every 200 that the likes of Jim Higgins can have. Speaking of Jim Higgins, just two minutes from where I live, a massive billboard with a picture of Jim Higgins, Enda Kenny and Fine Gael in huge letters greets me every morning. Compare that to the Fianna Fáil posters, and on some, you would need a magnifying glass to see that they are members of Fianna Fáil and not independents.

All these posters got me thinking, so I did a little investigation: I e-mailed a couple of different signage companies and informed them that I was independently running in the elections and I wanted 400 election posters made in colour with the words vote number one and my face on the poster. I got back four different prices all in and about the region of €18 without VAT. Then the flyers that the unfortunate postman has to put in every letter box in town work out at about €50 for 2000 of them- not exactly going to break the bank, but still, who is paying for them and what happens to all the posters and flyers after 5 June? I am sure the Greens would like to know if they’re being recycled, or do the elections come just in time for bonfires night?

De Burca for President?

2009-06-02T11:21:00.007+01:00

Dublin eJournalist Eoghan Dockrell caught up with Deirdre de Burca

Interview with Proinsias De Rossa

2009-06-02T10:42:00.014+01:00

Eoghan Dockrell interviewed current Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa

The inside story: inside Sinn Féin's national headquarters

2009-06-02T10:18:00.010+01:00

By Eoghan Dockrell

44 Parnell Street is the home ot Sinn Fein's national headquarters. The building bears no tell-tale sign of whom may be housed within. A few doors down the street is the official Sinn Fein shop. Above the shop door is the party name illuminated in green neon lights. Directly on-top is an oversized poster of Mary Lou. The poster scales the wall; it’s at least three stories tall. The sheer size of it ensures all pedestrians (potential voters) see her. Mission accomplished.

Myself and the cameraman were five minutes late for our third and final interview of the day. It was scheduled for 3.15. Labour's Proinsias De Rossa had held us up. That was the excuse. Would Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald understand? Hopefully. I wrapped my knuckles against the solid oak door. No answer. I looked left and spotted a metal plate adorned with unlabelled buttons. I mashed my hand indiscriminately against them. Success. A man with a deep, croaky voice spoke through the metal box, telling us, he’ll "be there in a minute". The thick door creaked open.

We were ushered to the back of the building, down a long corridor. We stopped at the kitchen. It looked like a picture from a history book. The ceiling was low, claustrophobic. A shaky wooden table stood unconvincingly at one side; Republican themed posters lying against the cracked walls. Everything I expected, right down to the split, chequered tiles that covered the floor. The interior seemed bare and neglected. Mary Lou would later admit, post-interview, that the building deserved a renovation, but alas the "funds simply didn’t exist".

We waited patiently for Mary Lou to arrive. A man walked into the kitchen and informed us that she was currently held up in a meeting. He offered us a cup of tea. We said no thank you. The man stayed and talked candidly about the Dublin race, his candidate's chances of winning, Gerry Adams, and other colourful party members. The details of our conversation will not be divulged. Presumably, he was talking "off the record".

Moments later, Mary Lou appeared before us. We shook hands. I introduced her to the camera-man. She smiled politely. Without further delay we moved quickly to the conference room. She seemed purposeful, a candidate on a schedule, with many more appointments to go. We were just a footnote in her hectic day. Humbling.

As we talked on-route to the interview location, she told us that the room chosen is used for Sinn Fein executive meetings. Was this an ‘off the cuff’ remark engineered to intimidate? It certainly made clear which party was on home turf. We entered through double doors. The room had three noticeable features; a majestic fireplace; a grand conference table; and an impressive portrait of an unidentified man hanging crookedly on the wall. We were in the heart of the beast, so we taught it best to thread softly on the worn carpet. Two chairs were positioned beside the lead panelled window; One for McDonald, one for me. I requested the routine ten second count-down and then the interview commenced.

Leaving the room I couldn’t help but feel the state of the building mirrored the current state of Sinn Fein. Is it possible for the renovation requested by Mary Lou? Can the party experience a revival or are the glory days long over? No doubt in the past, Sinn Fein had the power to sway, through its decisions, public opinion. However, the decisions they make today in 21st century, 26 county Ireland do not seem to attract the same level of interest. What a sad state of affairs for a party so steeped in the history of Irish politics.

Will the hand that rocked the cradle crush the Soldiers of Destiny?

2009-06-02T00:42:00.009+01:00

By Dónal Hassett

On her election as President of Ireland, the first female and the first non-Fianna Fáil politician to hold the highest office in the land, Mary Robinson was quick to thank Mná na h-Éireann and declare that they “instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system”. With the Dublin Euro-constituency seemingly too close to call, it may well be that these same women will toll the death-knell once more for the Soldiers of Destiny.

Yesterday’s Flora Mini- Marathon brought 40,000 women onto the streets of the capital, and though the good weather coupled with the huge funds raised for charities made for a jovial atmosphere, public anger was still to be found boiling away under the surface. If Mary Lou McDonald is to hold onto her seat and scupper Eoin Ryan’s chances to save Fianna Fail European seat, surely women will be her big hope.

Female voters often tend to favour female candidates which may help the Sinn Fein MEP, while a recent Irish Times poll has shown that women remain more anti-Lisbon than men, though opposition among them to the Treaty is weakening. Fianna Fail will seek to use Ryan’s running mate Eibhlin Byrne to attract the female vote to the party and then seek to transfer them on to Ryan. Mary Harney’s intervention in favour of Ryan may well secure the middle-class female vote, who would never dream of voting for Sinn Fein, for the ailing Ryan campaign.

However, it must be recognised that, while certain patterns do exist among female voters, women do not constitute a voting block and that social divisions are far more important in dictating the outcome of an election. While both candidates will seek to woo the capital’s women, pollsters can only second-guess the outcome on Friday’s poll.

Will the votes of ‘respectable’ middle class ladies come to Eoin Ryan’s rescue on June 5th or will it be a case of Girl Power pushing Mary Lou over the finish line? And what of the dark horse, Joe Higgins? Can the socialist stalwart use his lyrical Dingle tones to seduce the capital’s women?

As Billy Connolly once said “A woman’s mind is as complex as the contents of her handbag; even when you get to the bottom of it, there is ALWAYS something at the bottom to surprise you”. Only time will tell what choice the fair ladies of our Fair City will make on June5th.

No to Lisbon, No to Youth Media for Europe

2009-06-01T22:59:00.015+01:00

By Mike Bray

As you may have noticed on this blog there have been very few articles on Libertas or any of their candidates. While there have been some, the quotes used in the articles about the party, which first emerged as the No voice during the Lisbon Treaty referendum, had been sourced from other media outlets were candidates for Libertas have been interview.

My team and I in the East have tied to get in contacted with the former IFA vice-president, Mr. Raymond O’Malley, who is running in the East for Libertas. I want to make it clear that we are not ignoring Libertas or Mr. O’Malley. A source suggested recently that the reason for there been no contact between Youth Media for Europe and Libertas was because of one of our mother organisations, European Movement Ireland, which would be a pro-European Union organisation.
Last Wednesday morning after the debate between the candidates in the East on the Today with Pat Kenny radio show I had my first opportunity to meet Mr. O’Malley. He was speaking with some of the other audience members so I approached a member of Mr. O’Malley’s team. Basically I was looking to do an interview with Mr. O’Malley whenever it was of convenience to him. After a conversation with an O’Malley team member, where an interview was point blank refused, he came up with the following statement, “Mr. O’Malley is too busy and does not believe in the objectivity of the European Movement”. When I asked the O’Malley team member if I could speak to Mr. O’Malley personally, I was also refused.

The European Movement were surprised at the decision by Mr.O'Malley to refuse an interview seeing as some of his other Libertas colleagues have been in contact with the teams in the other constituencies. "It is a pity that Mr. O’Malley has taken this stance given that Mr. Ganley has conducted an interview with another of our journalists and my understanding its that Ms.Simons has done the same with the Dublin team. We always try to be impartial and aim to get the truth out" said Andrea Pappin, Executive Director of the European Movement.

Eurosceptic? No you’re a sceptic

2009-06-01T18:56:00.008+01:00

By Kate Manning

Newton famously proved that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. Well for every political organisation, party and belief there is an opposing side. Nowhere is this more evident than in the European Parliament.

Libertas, which derived from a think-tank set up by Declan Ganley, became a vocal critic of the Lisbon Treaty. Having mounting a successful no campaign,, Libertas have since set their sights on winning seats in the European Parliament. While some perceive Libertas as being anti-EU, they disagree. The problem for them is that “the once honest and inclusive governance of the Union has become unaccountable, murky, anti-democratic.”

Then there is the Independence/Democracy Group. Some of their members are from the UK Independence Party who advocate the “complete withdrawal of their country from the EU”. The leaders of the ID Group are Nigel Farage (UKIP) and Irelands Kathy Sinnott (Ind).

After the results of the Lisbon referendum in Ireland were revealed in June 2008, members of the ID Group filed into the European Parliament wearing green jerseys saying “Respect the Irish No Vote”. Avril Doyle MEP controversially responded by saying “Respect the Irish NO Vote". How things could have been different if only our British colleagues had come to this conclusion a century ago!” Miaow!

The Czech President Vaclav Klaus is another strong critic of the European Parliament. Having sided with the Libertascamp over Lisbon, Klaus visited Ireland in November of last year. According to EU blogger Stanley Krossick he “described Mr Ganley as a 'dissident' in the mould of former Soviet-era dissidents in his own country”. Interesting, as his state currently holds the EU Presidency.

MEPS from the UK Conservative Party have always been members of the largest grouping in the European Parliament; the EPP. After the European elections this week, they will form their own centre-right grouping with some Czech and Polish MEPs. The Tories are eager to create a stronger Eurosceptic voice in Parliament. The Financial Times reports that this could cause “serious divisions and will not be easily laid to rest” in Britain. Not to mention what it will do to their influence in Brussels.

Some would argue that opinions and groupings such as those mentioned above are detrimental to democracy. However, not allowing them to voice their concerns regarding such a huge institution would undermine everything that democracy entails. Critics are needed in the European Parliamentas they encourage public debate. However, there has got to be a line which should not be crossed and behaviour like that of the ID Group at the time of the Lisbon Referendum only serves to make a mockery of the EU. For all their condemnation of the Parliament, the UKIP and BNP MEPs still make a living out of the Parliament and Libertas struggle to have the same policies in all the European Member States, which was seen in the debate on immigration and free borders. Constructive debates are essential, bold children at the back of the classroom are not.

Disability Votes Count in Europe

2009-06-01T17:02:00.026+01:00

By Grace Campbell

Shane Byrne is a young man in his 20’s who comes from Tullow, Co. Carlow. On Friday 5 June Shane will be deciding what candidate he will vote for to represent the East constituency in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Like a lot of young men, Shane has a large number of hobbies including reading books, horse riding, using computers and going to drama lessons. Unlike a lot of young men, Shane was born with Down syndrome.

Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on his radio show last week, Shane spoke about how people without Down syndrome view those who do. “Other people think they don’t have a right to vote in the upcoming local and European elections,” said Shane. “Voting gives me the right as a citizen to voice my opinion.”

Down Syndrome Ireland has provided people like Shane with a training programme, called “My Opinion, My Voice.” This programme gives people with disabilities the necessary skills and knowledge to make an informed choice in the upcoming elections.

According to Shane “It doesn’t matter who you are, once you’re over the age of 18 you’re allowed to vote in the local and European elections.”

“My Opinion, My Vote” is a project that intends to empower people with learning disabilities through becoming actively involved as a citizen and participate in political elections. Other countries that implement the project for their citizens are Italy, Denmark, Spain, Hungary and Malta.

According to the project’s website there are “0.1% of European citizens present with a learning disability.” It states that “The life expectancy for this group has increased considerably; therefore the urgency in addressing issues surrounding citizen’s rights has become increasingly more apparent.”

The objective of the project is to encourage people with learning disabilities to form an opinion and vote at local, national and European elections and referenda, like other European citizens.

The website dedicates a full section to the European elections, including easy-to-read manifestos of European Parliamentary groups and a breakdown of the European groups that sitting Irish MEPs are a part of.

Shane spoke to Ryan Tubridy in the hope that it will encourage other young people with Down syndrome to use their vote. “If you have a disability use your voice, get it out there,” said Shane.

Shane’s determination and positive attitude will no doubt be responsible for other young people with or without Down syndrome or a learning disability to exercise their vote when polling day arrives on 5 June.

http://www.myopinionmyvote.eu/

Dublin: A candidate for every need?

2009-05-31T16:46:00.010+01:00

By Amy Bracken.

A recent report by RTÉ which asked the outgoing Dublin MEPs to list their 3 most important achievements to date shows a startling contrast of interest between them, which poses the question: with so many needs and interests being covered, will the 3 Dublin seats be filled by current MEPs?

Deputy Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was keen to emphasise her work in social interests. “That’s my job-to champion the rights, the aspirations and the needs of the people of Dublin”. Ms McDonald described her active role in the parliament, the constituency and the area of advancing the future of Europe ‘primarily through the Lisbon Treaty’, but also through the introduction of interest groups to Brussels.

Ms McDonald was also spoke of her activity in the job sector and in issues regarding corporate law, as well as the issue of homelessness in Dublin: “to my view [homelessness] is a very critical issue because of course it represents the sharpest end of poverty”. Despite criticism regarding attendance, Ms McDonald seems confident and pleased with her achievements, which are notably focused in the social bracket.

Some of the candidates showed a greater interest in monetary matters. At the top of his list Fianna Fáil candidate Eoin Ryan was keen to emphasise his achievements in funding for small businesses in his constituency, in which he highlights the fact that 400,000 people are employed by small companies. “What we’ve been trying to do is to get more money-we’ve got €350 million already-through the European Investment Bank down to small businesses in Ireland and in Dublin,” says Ryan. Mr Ryan also states an increase in research and development as being at the forefront of his achievements, as well as investments in education, “Europe is going to be very much part of our recovery”. Mr Ryan describes himself as a pro-European candidate and expressed his belief that a pro-European stance in parliament is necessary for Ireland’s recovery from the economic slowdown.

However not all candidates listed their top 3 achievements from the same bracket. Labour MEP Prionsias De Rossa spoke of his activeness in the initiation of the chemical regulation REACH, as well as a climate change programme and consumer protection initiatives. Additionally, he said: “I have had other reports on work-related matters which I believe to be important”.

In contrast to Eoin Ryan’s Europe-centred approach, the first thing mentioned by Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell as one of his top achievements regards the world outside of Europe. “When I first went to the parliament, I asked to join the Development Committee because 11 million children die every year in the developing world-that’s 30,000 a day.” Mr Mitchell also talked of his work in parliament’s only law regarding the developing world, and proudly mentioned his work for an emergency food plan: “I was asked also to be the author of the one billion euro emergency food aid facility”. Setting his world development achievements aside, Mr Mitchell spoke of his work on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. “I had important amendments carried to what’s called the covered assets regulation which ensures jobs remain in the IFSC in Dublin”.

With Dublin set to lose a seat in the European Parliament, it is possible that the current diversity and collective interest cover of the candidates will not be as acute following the elections. The burning question is: Which of the aforementioned achievements are most important to the electorate, and will such achievements suffice to have the candidates re-elected?

The interviews can be viewed at www.rte.ie/news/elections.

A winning smile...

2009-05-29T14:22:00.009+01:00

By Brigid O Gorman

They’re on YouTube, they’re on Facebook, they have their own websites, they stare down at us from every lamppost on the road; so really, what more can EU election candidates do to get people’s attention?

It is super easy these days to live in a world where you never have to see or listen to the news. Most houses have more than one TV, lots of people have wireless broadband and every second person owns an iPod. It is entirely possible to live in a world where the only news you watch is on MTV and the only updates you receive are those on Facebook.

Candidates being on Facebook or YouTube is pointless if young people never become friends with them or watch their videos. Young people complain of being ill-informed about politics and that politicians never try to connect with them, but politicians can only do so much; the information is there but people have to go and find it. There is this amazing thing called Google, you might have heard of it, where you type in what you want to know and all these web pages full of relevant information come up. How many young people can honestly say they have ever tried Googling the European elections?

Talking to a young college graduate from the East constituency last week it came up that she was not on the electoral register and so would not be able to vote in the upcoming elections: “No I’m not on the register…I know it’s terrible but I’m just not really interested in politics and if I was going to vote it would probably be for that Childers woman because she looks nice in her posters.”

So perhaps candidates have been barking up the wrong tree by embracing new media in their efforts to connect with young people? The humble election poster is in fact the one thing uninterested young people cannot help seeing, unless they walk around with their eyes closed, and everyone knows young people care only about style, not substance. So if you want the vote of the uninterested voter then smile pretty for the camera, it could be the difference between capturing the elusive 'youth vote' or not.

Youth Media for Europe training workshop

2009-05-29T12:54:00.012+01:00

On the 30 April and 1 May, the Youth Media for Europe eJournalist press corps arrived in the Google offices in Dublin for a two day intensive media workshop. Our online youth correspondetns had the benefit of the expertise of some of Ireland's leading figures in the media, including Irish Press Ombudsman John Horgan and Irish Times political corresponmdent Harry McGee. Their new skills were put to the test with a surprise press conference on the 1 May, attended by MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Eoin Ryan.

Behind every great party…

2009-05-28T17:02:00.007+01:00

By Kate Manning

Starting college this year? Feeling nervous about starting out on your own? Or are you interested in meeting new people and becoming more active in your community? You don’t have to be a dinosaur to get involved in politics. Every party in Ireland has youth organisations which are always open to new members. Even the most skilled politicians have to start somewhere.

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin were all contacted by email as that would be a common method used by young voters to submit a query or find information. As yet there has been no response from youth representatives in either Sinn Fein or Fianna Fail. Young Fine Gael (YFG) responded that same day.
Young Fine Gael was set up by former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald in 1977. Since then the organisation has strengthened in numbers with branches all over the country.. Young Fine Gael is open to members from the age of 15 to 30.

Sarah Moore is the Director of Campaigns for Young Fine Gael. From Wexford, she has taken some time off from her work as a nurse to concentrate on the upcoming elections. “I think now is a gripping time to be involved in politics and Young Fine Gael is a great organisation that offers a fresh approach with new ideas. We are an autonomous organisation, in that we are not dictated to by the senior party. Young Fine Gael has had more members out canvassing than ever before and Fine Gael has a large number of young candidates.”

With colleges now winding down for the summer holidays, a wide-reaching platform for informing and including younger voters is in danger and could be harmful to a political campaign. Ms Moore said “In some respects it most certainly will affect candidates. However, looking at areas such as south County Wexford, we are delighted to have the college people back around as they are now available to canvass”.

A member of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP), Young Fine Gael aims to foster relations with other youth groups throughout Europe. “YFG has held the vice presidency of the organisation which is a huge achievement for a political organisation from a small country, in European terms. YEPP hold seminars on European issues to which Young Fine Gael sends representatives and we have established an International Committee within our own organisation where our members can debate European issues and regularly keep in touch with YEPP.”

Ms Moore is aware that there is a need to bring European issues to the younger voters. “Branches have gone on trips to Brussels to visit the MEPs and the Parliament to see for themselves what actually goes on and can then report back to their peers that Brussels is a place that is good for Ireland.”

“I certainly consider myself a proud European and in these times of economic uncertainty I think we need to ensure Ireland's future at the heart of Europe.”

Irish youth - you are not alone

2009-05-28T14:12:00.041+01:00

By Grace Campbell

Young people of Ireland are not alone. Speaking to potential voters in countries across the EU it is obvious that young people of other member states share the same frustration and disinterest as the Irish with politics. The European election is only around the corner and it is vital that the youth of Ireland and all member states use their vote to elect the best representation possible. Here are accounts from young people in the EU who address the issue of apathy in the European elections.

Micky Weller, Germany:

Micky Weller

Micky, from Germany, is a student in Berlin. Micky’s family brought her up to have an active interest in politics. “The Division of Germany had far-reaching consequences for my family and accordingly to their political interest. As a consequence I was raised with some kind of natural interest in politics,” said Micky.

This is not the case for all young German people. Micky said “I think that the interest in politics of young people is constantly decreasing. However, I believe this not due to a general indifference towards politics, but more a result of seemingly unsolvable issues, unemployment, environmental problems, etc., in the country leading to frustration amongst young people and decreasing confidence in political actors.”

Although Micky plans to vote in the upcoming European elections she admits “To be honest, I’m not aware of any involvement of MEPs in my area at all.”

European election poster

European election poster

Eduardo Davies, Spain:

Eduardo Davies Carvajal

Eduardo, from Spain, is a young man who hopes to be involved in politics in the future. “I would like to take part in the decision making of my area, city and country. I believe that myself and those who share my beliefs can help to achieve a lot for future happiness.”

Eduardo recognises that his peers do not trust politicians. “There is a widespread belief among young people, that politicians are corrupt, liars and they don’t keep their promises,” said Eduardo.

Regarding the upcoming European elections in June, Eduardo said that the right wing politicians are targeting young people by proposing positive reform in third level education and financial incentives for students to study abroad. Left wing candidates are concentrating on issues such as contraception and abortion. Spanish candidates are using inventive ways to get their message across to the younger generation.

According to Eduardo: “There is a lot of publicity with posters but also a lot of merchandising, for example, cigarette lighters depicting the photos of the politician with their slogans, t-shirts, key rings and free condoms with information about the elections in order to get the young people to vote.”

Spanish politicians

Political rally in Spain

Dovile Petkunaite, Lithuania:

Dovile Petkunaite (centre) and friends

Dovile is a 24 year old from Lithuania, pictured here with her friends. Dovile is interested in politics herself but feels that only a small percentage of young people in Lithuania engage in it.

“In my opinion, there are not too many involved in it. There are just few young people that I know, who are following all the news in politics and like discussing it,” said Dovile. “Maybe because the frustration that most of the politicians cause make young people not to believe in it, therefore they are not interested in it.”

Apathy became recently apparent in Lithuania after the presidential election that took place on the 17 May. “Only 52% of all Lithuanian voters voted in it,” said Dovile. "European Parliament elections will be on 7 June and I guess there will be even less.”

Dalia Grybauskaite - the new President of Lithuania

European election poster

Voting take place in Ireland on the 5th June. No matter who you vote for or for what reason, use your vote.

European elections 2009

2009-05-28T11:46:00.003+01:00

By Grace Campbell

Pimp my election campaign: MEP or MC?

2009-05-27T23:33:00.013+01:00

By Catherine Moore

When we think of rap music we think of bling bling, mean streets and fast beats. But one man is changing the face of rap music as we know it: step up Irish MEP candidate Alan Kelly.

Kelly looks like he spends his free time eating fruit cake while watching gardening programmes, but don’t be fooled.

Dropping some beats on the daycent choon “Don’t make the wrong choice” GMC featuring the State of Jay, show its clear that Kelly has his finger on the pulse.

He knows from the bad-ass streets of Nenagh just how to entice young people into shaking tackie and voting for him in the elections.

And what is the rap about? Is it full of the usual rap material of drugs, violence, sex and money? Hell no, this man puts his manifesto into a wicked choon. Kelly shows us that rap music transcends class, colour and country. In an ingenious move, Kelly has so far racked up 5,064 YouTube hits and generated much publicity for his campaign.

Check it out on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Z1E_-2EmY
Nice wan kid.

The Green Machine

2009-05-27T21:48:00.014+01:00

By Eoghan Dockrell The public predominately perceive the Green party as advocates of the environment and champions of ‘green’ energy. This is irrefutably evident when you look at the composition of the current government. For instance, the Department of Energy and the Department of the Environment are both run by green party TDs. This squeaky clean green image has been adopted by MEP Green candidate Deirdre De Burca. Her campaign vehicle is an electric 'plug-in’ ford transit. As another MEP candidate, Dan Boyle, pointed out, the Greens are financing their campaigns "on a shoe-string" budget, perhaps aiming to protect the countryside from an excess amount of tree-killing, litter-prone posters?

Ok, so the electorate acknowledge that thee Green Party are environment and energy nuts, but are they just one trick ponies? One dimensional politicians in a three dimensional world?

No, there is another unconquered area where the Greens are laying claim to. It’s technology. This would seem like a natural progression given the origins of the Green Party. Remember, they are relatively new on the political scene. They want to confront challenges of the 21st Century. Yes, alternative energy sources and friendly environmental policies, but they need other hip, contemporary pet projects. Let the ‘big three’ deal with the ‘big’ issues. Realistically, what is the likelihood of the Green’s leading a future government? So accordingly, they will never have to worry about being handed the justice, finance…etc portfolios.

The Greens give the impression that they were founded by a well-healed south-side residents club in the drawing room of some Dalkey home; the champagne sipping, cavalier nibbling, latté liberal types who live in the world of Ross-O’Carroll Kelly. Thus it is fitting that they are at the vanguard of modern politics in terms of the ‘vogue’ policies they pursue. Let Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael stick with their unsavoury civil war rhetoric and Labour can stay chained to the working class, because ultimately it’s the Greens who represent modern, sophisticated Ireland.

Senator De Burca, responding to a question on why she is running in Dublin, instead of the East constituency said "there’s strong Green support in this region". Its true, polls show the greens do better in urban areas. Perhaps rural communities view the Greens with suspicion. Wind turbines are unsightly structures that spoil the countryside; putting excessive environmental regulations on already struggling farmers is poor form; forcing farmers to grow organic-only products is distasteful. The lesson: Greens cannot be too mean in their quest for a cleaner Ireland. Compromise is crucial.

Those who have been receiving campaign updates on election mailing lists notice the disproportionate amount of mail streaming in from the Green machine. Every move is monitored, then sufficiently spun into a positive story and finally, shot through cyberspace and into the reporter’s mailbox. A fortnight ago, a select number of reporters were invited on a Dáil tour where the lucky guests would discuss "new technologies and online communications" with Green Party members. The evening ended with a quiet pint in the Dáil bar.

The Greens' popularity has decreased with their attachment to Fianna Fail. But this is only temporary; a bump in the road map of the Green Party. As long as they can continue to be innovative and target new areas like technology, they will be viable as a political entity. MEP candidates, like Deirdre de Burca ought to take pride in preaching the green agenda. The sceptics should not underestimate the ingenuity of the Green Machine!

Sex, sun and smiles - but get outta my pale!

2009-05-27T19:06:00.011+01:00

By Mike Bray

The mood in the Fine Gael camp ahead of next weeks European and local elections was as bright and sunny as the day itself when they launched their 2009 European Election Manifesto in the Shelbourne hotel last Sunday morning.

The Party is setting new records in the polls as their lead over Fianna Fáil has now increased to 19% at the last count. However party leader Enda Kenny insists that the party is not getting complacent in the last few lengths of this election race which is being dubbed as a referendum on the Fianna Fail/Green government and their handling of the states finances.

However as Election Day dawns nearer and candidates are running out of options, tensions are beginning to emerge among Kenny’s euro team. Jim Higgins MEP from the North-West, who was not at the press conference along with ex-GAA president Sean Kelly, is being criticised by the party leader and director of elections Phil Hogan TD after breaking the agreement with Senator Joe O’Reilly regarding the set areas for canvassing votes, as Mr. Higgins has been seen in Mr. O’Reilly’s area. Mr. Higgins continues to do so despite a warning and was even continuing while the Fine Gael press conference was ongoing. At this late stage when every vote is crucial the party line can very quickly go out the window and number one becomes the priority (in both senses).

Fine Gael in the East constituency is also facing a similar conflict between Mairead McGuinness MEP and Senator John Paul Phelan. Mc Guinness who is polling at a massive 33% and came in at 25% in 2004 is restricted to what she calls "the Pale". Despite being restricted to only three counties, experts believe McGuinness is a shoe-in and one of her many tasks is to carry Mr. Phelan over the finishing with the large surplus she should gather. Despite having the rest of Leinster to himself, it has been noted that Mr. Phelan has been seen in "the Pale". While this is only handbags compared to the alleged rivalry between Ms. McGuinness and outgoing MEP Avril Doyle in 2004, it seemed Ms. McGuinness was dropping a hint of 'get outta my pale' to Mr Phelan in front of the party leader who was sitting next to the Kilkenny senator.

However Ms. McGuinness, who is more than able to handle the press, made light of the press' desire to create another internal battle within Fine Gael involving Ms. McGuinness, when she suggested that perhaps Mr. Phelan was in Meath to get a personal vote from a certain Ms. Catherine Yore. Mr. Phelan has been linked romantically with the Carnaross lady who is running for Fine Gael in the Kells area in the local elections and is causing a great stir in the district which has been reduced to a five seater and should result in a riveting battle. Others may know Ms. Yore from RTÉ’s You’re a Star, were she reached the latter stages in 2002. Ms. McGuinness however had some insight which Mr. Phelan surely welcomed. “Can I say from experience that Meath people make great lovers” she told the small crowd gathered.

To add to this tone, which one would usually hear in a country pub among fifty or sixty year old men on a Friday night and not in the Shelbourne hotel among politicians on a Sunday morning, party leader Enda Kenny told a story about when he was canvassing for his first Dáil seat in a bye-election when a lady from Connemara wrote to him and offered him her house and farm if he would “go and make relations with her”.

At this stage the red face Senator Phelan must have been wondering if he was in the right room and surly made a mental note to make sure not to be seen around Carnaross next time, especially if Ms. McGuinness is on the canvass.

Irish language recognised but under-utilised at EU level

2009-05-27T16:14:00.022+01:00

by Grace Campbell

Tomás Sharkey of Sinn Féin, speaking in Navan Co. Meath, stressed the significance of the Irish language in the East constituency and how the use of the national language in the European Parliament strengthens the overall identity of Ireland in the EU.

Mr. Sharkey, who is running for the upcoming European elections in the East, feels that even though the Irish language is officially recognised in the European Parliament that the use of the language is “not taken far enough.”

He said: “That’s not because the staff of the Commission or the Parliament is against Irish, it’s because the Irish government won’t provide the qualified staff.”

Mr. Sharkey is a fluent Irish speaker and teacher of the language. He has recently been in negotiations with the translation department in the European Parliament to overcome the obstacles that currently stand in the way of the Irish language flourishing at EU level. “If somebody speaks in English or any other language it does not get translated into Gaeilge,” said Mr. Sharkey.

One of the major problems compounding this issue is the lack of Irish MEPs who speak the national language. “The biggest threat is from our own home base politicians who refuse to represent our culture and our heritage there,” said Mr. Sharkey. “We do have a serious lack of skills among the Irish MEPs in their ability to speak Irish in the Parliament.”

Mr. Sharkey proposes to establish a “centre of excellence” in the Gaeltacht area of Rath Cairn, Co. Meath to give existing translators in Brussels the chance to develop their Irish language skills and to increase jobs for Irish people to work in Brussels as translators.

“We have a great opportunity with the new Irish living here now,” said Mr. Sharkey. “Those children who are bilingual and trilingual are going to be the future linguists for Ireland.”

The East constituency boasts a small Gaeltacht region compared to other constituencies but this does not seem to deter constituent’s interest in the national language. According to Mr. Sharkey “A study came out last month from the National University of Maynooth that found that support for the Irish language is strongest in Leinster.”

He said “We don’t have a big geographical Gaeltacht but we have, as a constituency, the strongest block of people in Ireland who support the Irish language.”

Mr. Sharkey added “We have had the biggest growth of all-Irish primary and secondary schools in this part of the country. We are going to see less ‘all day’ Irish speakers but ‘every day’ Irish speakers instead. There will be more people who will have the opportunity to use the Irish language throughout their working lives.”

Oh God have the elections come to this?

2009-05-26T13:29:00.011+01:00

By Owen Gleeson

Eminem isn’t the only rapper releasing a much anticipated single this month. Yes it’s finally happened: Irish politicians have embraced the American street culture of ‘Hip Hop’. While Fine Gael is embracing celebrity politicians Labour it seems are embracing rapping politicians.

‘Don’t make the wrong choice – Vote Alan Kelly’ was written and recorded by Garry McCarthy (aka GMC), in support of the Labour campaign.

One of Ireland’s first ever political rap songs will be revealed by Labour MEP candidate Alan Kelly. Wednesday, 27 May 10am outside Clarion Hotel, Lapps Quay, Cork City

The video on YouTube starts off with Alan Kelly and his ‘posse’ at what seems to be a march or demonstration of some kind. It continues on as a montage to Alan and all his buddies from the providence of Munster, with Mr. Kelly often seen in his native red colours. The video ends with Alan hanging with a quite scary looking man.

Off course the song has a serious message. Speaking ahead of the launch, Senator Kelly said: “It is a very entertaining, humorous song but with a very serious message portraying the anger that many people are feeling but also looking at using Europe as a mechanism to create jobs, so that we can get ourselves out of this recession."

After listening to the song a few times it reminded me of Nelly’s 2001 song ‘Ride Wit Me’ taken from his Country Grammar album both in terms of lyric content and theme. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmGSmygesok). Nelly’s song also deals with a person’s conflict in making money that might not necessarily agree with them

if you wanna go and take a ride wit me
we're 3-wheelin in the 4 with the gold d's
oh why do i live this way
(hey) (must be the money)
if you wanna go and get high wit me
smoke an L in the back of the benzie
oh why must i feel this way
(hey) (must be the money)

‘Don’t make the wrong choice – Vote Alan Kelly’ could also be interpreted as one of these ‘diss’ songs that rappers so frequently partake in. The target in the song is often the current government.

‘Their incompetent,
It’s obvious,
See their name
Fianna Fáil no fada,
Spells Fianna Fail’

‘Fianna Fail play games,
like there on a soccer field,
making things disappear
like David Copperfield.’

The conflict between Fianna Fáil and Labour has been going on as long as the East coast West coast feud over in the States, except it’s been bloodier . While we wait in anticipation for Fianna Fail's ‘diss back' performed by Brian ‘Double D’ Cowen featuring Bertie 'Quickfire’ Ahern, I wonder if the two heavyweights of Irish politics and rap world might not put their differences aside for the sake of the Irish economy and come up with sensible solution to fix it instead of this continuous negativity that is levelled at each other.

As I write this now there has only been one comment on YouTube about the video and the song, surprisingly it comes from IRISH LABOUR PARTY "Absolutely brilliant stuff!" Perhaps they might be a little biased.

While the song is amusing I don’t think Eminem or Jay-Z will be too worried... yet.
Here is the song and video if you’re interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Z1E_-2EmY