Young people across Dublin stand to be affected by Brexit and ongoing housing crisis

                    Dublin Ógra FF members meet with key stakeholders to discuss
                                                        Brexit and housing issues 

​Members of the youth wing of the Fianna Fáil party, Ógra Fianna Fáil, gathered in North Dublin earlier this week to discuss two of the most significant challenges facing this generation.


Featured expert panellists led the meeting, which was held in the Bracken Court Hotel Balbriggan, Co. Dublin and heard the views of Ógra members.


Local TD and Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade Darragh O'Brien kicked off the first session with a chaired discussion on Brexit: England's Difficulty, Ireland's Opportunity.  The panel included presentations by Prof Daire Keogh, Deputy President, DCU, Katie Daughen, Head of Brexit Research with the British Irish Chamber and Paul O'Kane, Chief Communications Officer with the DAA.


Commenting afterwards, Deputy O’Brien said, “So much of the coverage on Brexit over the past 14 months has been dominated by topics that solely interest people working in sectors connected with Britain or who have invested in Britain. In reality, there is great uncertainty for our younger generation too."


“There are certainly potential effects of Brexit on young people In Ireland that need to be examined."


“It is absolutely crucial that young people are given the opportunity to get involved in real politics and engage in real political activity."


“That is one of the core principles of Ógra Fianna Fáil but it is also what this meeting today is about."


He added, “It is clear from this morning’s discussion that Irish young people have an interest in the future of the European Union and our membership of it."
Dublin Spokesperson and Dublin South-West TD, John Lahart led discussion on solving Ireland's housing crisis which included a panel with Simon Brooke, Head of Policy in Clúid Housing, Cormac Lucey, Chairman of Hibernia Forum and Michael O’Mahony, Vice President of the RIAI.


Deputy Lahart said, “From the fundamental to the trivial we cannot ignore the legitimate concerns of Irish young people."


“The reality for many young couples in Dublin is that renting a home on a monthly basis is cheaper than owning one."


“An entire generation of people are facing the possibility of being stuck paying exorbitant rent with no possibility of owning their own home. When they have the rent and other bills paid, there is nothing available to start building towards a deposit.”


Current Ógra President, local man James Doyle, concluded the day by saying, “It is meetings such as today’s that prove constructive to drafting policy. Every contribution from today’s panels will be noted and submitted to the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party for their consideration."


“Facilitating events like today’s on Brexit and housing help to recognise the positive and active role that young people play in the policy formation process.”