Galway West election candidates will be taking part in a climate change focused debate this Friday at Coláiste Éinde in Salthill.
The climate change debate has been organised by the student council in Coláiste Éinde, and will take place in front of post primary students from schools around the city and county.
Darragh Ward, chairperson of the Student Council, said that this debate will put candidates in front of young people “and ask them to explain how they propose to tackle what is the biggest existential crisis facing our planet”.
“As young people we are entirely reliant on the decisions being made now and we hope that the event will be a catalyst for future engagement with out elected representatives”.
The candidates taking part in this debate are Conor Burke (Solidarity), Catherine Connolly (Independent), Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fáil), Noel Grealish (Independent), Joe Loughnane (People Before Profit), Niall McNelis (Labour), Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael), Darragh O’Flaherty (Independent), Pauline O’Reilly (Green Party), and Niall Ó Tuatháill.
Sorcha Crumlish, Student Council member, said that climate change is one of the most pressing issues for young people.
“This debate is an opportunity for the candidates seeking election to show us, the voters of today and tomorrow, which of them actually has our best interests at heart”.
“We will be listening closely to see who is taking climate change seriously, who has it as their number one priority, because it is our number one problem,” Sorcha concluded.
The debate will take place at Coláiste Éinde in Salthill this Friday, starting at 1:30pm and lasting until 3:10pm.
It will start with statements from the candidates, followed by questions submitted by students councils representing secondary level young people in the constituency.
