A NUMBER OF recent Trinity College graduates have come together to stand in affiliation in the upcoming local election in May.

The group, ‘People Before Parties’, which is not a political party and consists of independent candidates, said it aims to engage with the community “with a renewed inspiration, following the surge in emigration  and the associated “brain drain” on local communities”.

Wayne Flanagan Tobin, the candidate for Pembroke South Dock said he has become “tired of the promises made by political parties”.

I feel I have to get up and do something and use the skill set gained at university in a productive way to support proper planning in the area, promote tourism and help young people look at the whole idea of micro-financing to drive our local economy forward. 

“As a young person, I feel compelled to take action on a number of issues in the locality, and like many others, I am sick of party politics in this country,” commented Simon Hall, candidate for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. “The level of disillusionment has now reached the stage that elections are seen merely as the opportunity to protest against whichever party is in government.”

“We need to take action on a number of issues on a local level, among them youth unemployment, ageing in the community, and local rejuvenation,” he added.

Senator David Norris welcomed the news, saying he was “delighted that young people from the universities have started putting themselves forward actively for candidacy.”

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