Young Fine Gael

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Young Fine Gael
Ógra Fhine Gael
YFGpie.png
President Barry Walsh
Founded 1977
Headquarters 51, Upper Mount St, Dublin 2
Mother party Republic of IrelandFine Gael
European affiliation Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP)
Website www.yfg.ie
"YFG" redirects here. For the film company, see Yari Film Group.

Young Fine Gael (YFG) is the autonomous youth wing of the major Irish political party Fine Gael. It offers its 4000 members[1] scope to assist in formulation of political policy, and the day to day running of the senior party. It is a constituent member of the Youth of the European Peoples Party, the youth wing of the European christian democratic grouping.

Contents

[edit] History

Young Fine Gael were formed in 1977 as part of the internal reforms to Fine Gael instigated by Garret Fitzgerald who had become leader of the party.[2] They grew rapidly with over 100 local branches of YFG being formed by 1978. During the 1980s they pursued a fairly liberal agenda, supporting the repeal of Ireland's homosexuality laws; a ban on the state funding on single-sex schools; and greater family planning options. Nowadays there is a broad range of political viewpoints held by members, ranging from centrist and social-democratic to the more conservative.

[edit] Organisation

YFG has a range of policies that it developed in conjunction with its own members. It has policy committees ranging from the Social Affairs committee to the Northern Ireland committee. These policies have on occasion been adopted by the senior Fine Gael party. YFG's constitution however allows for the organisation to act on its own, independent from its parent party, enabling it to promote its own political objectives.

YFG structure is based upon the European election constitutions. Its consists of Dublin, Leinster (Ireland East), Munster (Ireland South) and Connaught/Ulster (Ireland West). Each province in turn has an elected regional organiser to represent them on the National Executive, and regional councils in which the individual branches can meet and engage in discussion and set out agenda. These regional councils are designed to energise members from the same region and provide innovation in the group as well as in its senior party. Such groups have proven a valuable facet in the workings of the organisation, providing the party with an academy type structure where members are offered scope to work through the party organisation and forward the ambitions of the youth party and its membership.

[edit] Branches

The basic unit of organisation in Young Fine Gael is the branch. These are organised in every constituency in the country. YFG also has prominent branches in each of the country's third level institutions to provide a forum to interested students, in areas of political discussion, policy, debate and social activities.

[edit] Recent Campaigns

  • Homeless Solidarity Campaign (2003 & 2004). Sleep-outs in Dublin, Cork and Limerick to raise awareness of Irelands' homelessness problem. [3]
  • Better Deal for Young Drivers (2003): To campaign for action on road safety, motor insurance for young drivers and reform of the diver education/testing system. This campaign included 20 public meetings nationwide and a local media and internet publicity drive.
  • Housing Tax Campaign (2004): Nationwide petition campaign to raise awareness of the government's excessive tax take on new homes for first-time buyers.
  • Talk! Campaign (2005): To raise awareness of Mental Health and Suicide [4]
  • Voter Registration Campaign (2006): To encourage Youth Participation in Politics
  • Lisbon Treaty Campaign (2008): Campaign to seek a Yes vote in the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. [5]

[edit] Prominent Members in the Dáil & Seanad

Fine Gael TDs Leo Varadkar and Lucinda Creighton are members of YFG, having also previously served on the organisation's National Executive. Senator JP Phelan is also a member in Seanad Eireann.

[edit] Publications

YFG operates an online ezine, The Informer.

[edit] President and Executive

A National Executive is elected at the national conference of YFG, which is held every 18 months.

  • President: Barry Walsh
  • Vice President: Stephen Behan
  • National Secretary & Campaigns Director: Sarah Moore
  • Communications Director: James O'Sullivan
  • Policy Director: Michelle Perry
  • Policy Officer: Peter McCarthy
  • Dublin Regional Organiser: Alison Meaghar
  • Munster Regional Organiser: Keith Winters
  • Leinster Regional Organiser: Colm Murray
  • Connaught/Ulster Regional Organiser: Gregory Lawless

[6]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ RTE News. 2007 General Election. [1]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
  2. ^ Irish Examiner. [2].Retrieved on 1 July 2009
  3. ^ RTE Website. On Homeless campaign. [3]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
  4. ^ RTE Website. On Youth Depression and Suicide Campaign. [4]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
  5. ^ RTE Website. On the YFG Lisbon Treaty Campaign. [5]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
  6. ^ NUIM Branch, commenting on YFG National Executive. [6] Retrieved on 1 July 2009.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Political youth organisations of Ireland
All Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Labour Youth · Young Fine Gael
Northern Ireland
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Fine_Gael"