DCU students to run in local elections in Dublin and Cork

Three DCU students are running in next June’s local elections for Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and the Green Party.

Noel Rock, a third year Economics, Politics and Law student, is hoping to gain one of the five seats in the Artane-Whitehall district when the local elections take place on Friday June 5. Rock’s campaign focuses on education with particular concentration on the area surrounding DCU.

Rock, the current chair of DCU’s Young Fine Gael Society, wants to see a higher percentage of people from the area attend third level education in some form.

“This can often show people that they can get to college and there are opportunities out there for them,” he said.

Another aspect of his campaign is the maintenance and upgrading of local infrastructure in the Artane-Whitehall area in order to keep local businesses thriving. He hopes to highlight these issues with running mate Cllr Declan Flanagan.

Despite not coming from a political background, Rock worked on the Washington Ireland Program and spent two months on placement in the European Parliament. He feels that his experience and knowledge could allow him to make proper changes in a sincere way.

“I’d like to turn that experience into something productive and valuable for the community in which I grew up,” he said.

Sinn Fein is hoping to secure a seat in the Pembroke-Rathmines ward with Oisín O Dubhláin. A third year Mental Health Nursing student, O Dubhláin’s campaign is based on issues involving public service provision.

The Cavan native believes that direct taxation is the only way to pay for education, healthcare and housing instead of placing that burden on lower paid workers.

“I want to use my campaign, and if successful my seat, to raise these issues and be a platform for those who are most hurt and marginalised in this time. I will be a voice for a better, more equitable approach to governance which puts the many before the few,” said O Dubhláin.

O Dubhláin is the current secretary of the DCU Sinn Fein Cumann and has been actively involved in numerous local campaigns across Dublin on the issues of local authority housing, healthcare, the Lisbon Treaty and anti-fees.

He will also help in further campaigning for the European election. “I also will be fighting for votes for our European candidate Mary Lou McDonald, the only Dublin MEP who campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty and is working to secure a real progressive new agenda in the EU,” he added.

First year International Relations student, Adam Douglas, is hoping to gain a seat in Fermoy Town Council to represent the Green Party. Douglas (19) has a keen interest in issues surrounding public transport, business development and community facilities in his area. He believes that local government needs to be reformed through fresh faces in council seats.

“I relish the opportunity to offer a real alternative to the politics that has rendered the existing council ineffective in the face of a number of recent decisions and challenges,” says Douglas.

In the line of business development, Douglas wants the town council to rezone land only for the construction of a hotel and associated buildings, as private residences are not needed in the area. He also wants a one-year moratorium be placed on rates for start-up businesses in all locations in the town.

Another major task which he wants to address if elected is to ensure that Fermoy does not turn into a dormitory town and to promote the use of public transport within the area.