Young Fine Gael
| Young Fine Gael | |
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| President | Patrick Molloy |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | 51 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2 |
| Mother party |  Fine Gael |
| European affiliation | Youth of the European People's Party |
| Website | www.yfg.ie |
Young Fine Gael (the Young United Irelanders) (YFG) is the autonomous youth wing of the major Irish political party Fine Gael. It offers its members scope to assist in formulation of political policy, and the day to day running of the senior party. It is a founding member of the Christian Democratic centre-right pan-European organisation, Youth of the European Peoples Party, which is the youth wing of the European Peoples Party.
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[edit] History
Young Fine Gael was formed in 1977 as part of the internal reforms to Fine Gael instigated by Garret FitzGerald, who had become leader of the party that same year.[1] 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. YFG is a politically autonomous organisation, setting its own policies and campaigns.
[edit] Organisation
YFG has a range of policies that it developed, on the ground, at grass roots level. 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 North West] (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] International Committee
Young Fine Gael's (YFG) International Committee deals with all of YFG's International Relations and Foreign Policy, this includes the development and maintenance of relationships with other political parties in the UK, European Union, USA and beyond. YFG is a founding member of its youth organisation of the Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP). YEPP is Europe's largest youth political organisation, bringing together 57 member organisations from 39 countries. YEPP is the youth organisation of the European People's Party. YFG is currently represented on the YEPP board by Colm Lauder, who holds the position of Deputy Secretary General. Julie O'Leary (International Secretary) and Cillian Ryan (Deputy International Secretary) currently represent YFG.
[edit] Recent National Campaigns
- Homeless Solidarity Campaign (2003 & 2004). Sleep-outs in Dublin, Cork and Limerick to raise awareness of Irelands' homelessness problem. [2]
- 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 [3]
- 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. [4]
- Get Ireland Back to Work Campaign 2010: To raise awareness of Fine Gael's policies on job creation including New Era & Hope for a Lost Generation, policies drafted in response to the financial crisis and recession.
[edit] Publications
YFG operates an online ezine, The Informer. YFG's International Committee also publishes a bi-annual journal, The Vulcan.
[edit] Executive
A National Executive is elected at the National Conference of YFG, which is held every 16–22 months. The President, the Vice President and the first candidate elected on the panel sit on the Executive Council of Fine Gael.
The last Conference took place in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, 17–19 February 2012, with the following elected to the executive:
- President: Patrick A. Molloy
- Vice President: Carol Madigan
- Third Executive Council, Panel member: Bernard Aherne
- Panel member: Frankie Mulqueen
- Panel member: Rob O'Sullivan
- Panel member: Timmy Eoin O'Sullivan
- North West Regional Organiser: D.J. Kelly
- Lenister Regional Organiser: MJ Murphy
- Dublin Regional Organiser: Dale McDermott
- Munster Regional Organiser: Eileen Lynch
[edit] Notable Incidents
In 2008, Young Fine Gael was accused of being "cheap and sexist" by Finian McGrath, TD, after it published pro-Lisbon Treaty posters. The first depicted a scantily clad male model in a tight pair of EU boxer shorts with the words "Enlarge your opportunities" emblazoned across them. The second poster showed a young woman holding a pair of melons close to her chest with the slogan "Increase your prospects." Mr. McGrath said he considered the campaign ""tacky and childish" and accused YFG of attempting to degrade the seriousness of the debate.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Irish Examiner. [1].Retrieved on 1 July 2009
- ^ RTE Website. On Homeless campaign. [2]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
- ^ RTE Website. On Youth Depression and Suicide Campaign. [3]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
- ^ RTE Website. On the YFG Lisbon Treaty Campaign. [4]. Retrieved on 1 July 2009
- ^ NUIM Branch, commenting on YFG National Executive. [5] Retrieved on 1 July 2009.
- ^ http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Enda%2c+werent+you+briefed+on+Lisbon+posters%3f+Eye-catching%3a+But+are+the+...-a0187331331 Enda, weren't you briefed on Lisbon posters?
[edit] External links
- Young Fine Gael
- Fine Gael
- UCC Young Fine Gael
- NUI Maynooth Young Fine Gael
- UCD branch of Young Fine Gael
- UL Young Fine Gael
- WIT branch of Young Fine Gael
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