GENERAL ELECTION HUSTINGS EVENT FOR CHARITIES AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR
WHAT: The Wheel, the national association of charities, community and voluntary organisations, and social enterprises will host a General Election 2020 Hustings on 30 January in Dublin. Representatives of the major political parties will engage with charities and community groups from every constituency in Ireland, who are working across the areas of health, disability, homelessness, social care, education, housing, poverty relief, the arts and sport. This is a key opportunity for parties contesting the election to hear the real stories from behind the issues.
WHEN: Thursday 30 January, 9.30am – 11.30am
WHERE: Garden Room, Carmelite Community Centre, 5 Aungnier St, Dublin 2, D02 T258
WHY: Charities are in the areas of HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS and RURAL DEVELOPMENT – all key election issues. The Wheel’s General Election Manifesto, Stronger Communities, Stronger Ireland, addresses the key challenges facing the charity, community and voluntary, and social enterprise sector and provides a blueprint for an Ireland which gives adequate supports to the valuable work being done in every constituency in Ireland. We are inviting party spokespeople from each political party to engage with this valuable cohort of Irish life who represent the real people behind the big issues.
WHO: Community and voluntary spokespeople for the main political parties:
FF – John Lahart, TD
John Lahart represents Dublin South West, is the Fianna Fáil Spokesperson Dublin and is Deputy Whip. He served for seventeen years on South Dublin County Council and was the Fianna Fáil Leader that council. John is a qualified psychotherapist and also a graduate of the Mater Dei Institute of Education, from which he received his Master’s Degree in 1996. He is a board member of both Parts in Tallaght and the Tallaght Drugs & Alcohol Task Force.
Sinn Fein – Chris Andrews
Chris has been actively involved in community development work in the Dublin Bay South constituency for over sixteen years, working with residents associations, environmental groups, charities and local community projects. He is an active member of a number of local sports clubs and is a founding member of the ‘Friends of the Grand Canal’ and a volunteer team leader with the ‘Inner City Helping Homeless’ group. Chris has been involved in international activism since his teenage years and has long campaigned on matters relating to overseas aid and development, inequality and injustice throughout the world. He has been particularly active matters relating to Palestine, Tibet, Nicaragua and Gambia. Chris topped the poll in the 2014 elections to Dublin City Council for the Pembroke-South Dock area and was first elected to the Council in 1999 to represent the Pembroke electoral area. He is a member of the Council’s Housing Committee and the South Inner City Drugs Task Force. Chris previously served as a TD from 2007 until 2011 and was of the Dáil’s Finance Committee. He holds a BA in Community and Youth Work from NUI Maynooth.
Social Democrats – Cllr. Tara Deacy
Tara has lived and worked in Dublin since 2005, initially as a Community Development Worker for Ballyfermot supports the local community to tackle social exclusion and poverty caused by unemployment, and other social factors. She currently works for the Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force, which aims to significantly reduce the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs. She is a huge supporter of Community Arts and has been involved with MaSamba, a community based Brazilian samba band for ten years.
Green Party – Cllr. Hazel Chu
A graduate from Kings Inns and UCD Smurfit I worked in New York, Hong Kong and Sydney. I am the National Coordinator for the party, Chair of the Exec and Spokesperson for Enterprise. In my spare time I advocate on issues of diversity and equality on various media platforms.
FG - TBA
Charities working in the areas of health, disability, housing, climate and rural development will be available for interview.
CONTACT: Gert Ackermann on 086 176 9287 or Sarah Monaghan 087 672 1154.
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