WELCOME FROM CATHAOIRLEACH ÓGRATHOMAS BYRNE T.D.

FEBRUARY 2010

A  Chairde,

Tá  áthas  orm  an  chead  Nuachlitir  “Grassroots”  a  chur  os  bhur  gcomhair.  

I  was  privileged  to  be  asked  by  An  Taoiseach  Brian  Cowen  to  become  Cathao-irleach  Ógra   at   November’s   Youth  Conference   in   Bundoran.  Ógra   has   an  important  role  to  play  in  shaping  Ireland’s  future  and  I  look  forward  to  helping  our  organisation  achieve  its  ambitions.  I  want  to  thank  the  outgoing  Cathao-irleach  Dara  Calleary  for  his  contribution  over  the  past  two  years  and  on  behalf  of  Ógra  I  wish  Dara  the  very  best  for  the  future.  The  new  National  Youth  Committee  has  been  working  extremely  hard  since  November’s  Youth  Conference  planning  and  organising  for  the  months  ahead.  The  committee  meet  again  at  the  end  of  this  month  so  I  ask  if  you  have   any   opinions   or   feedback   for  Ógra   that   you   contact   your   local  Ógra  representatives  or,  indeed,  myself.  Full  details  of  all  Youth  Committee  members  may  be  found  inside  this  edition  of  Grassroots.  The  coming  12  months  will  see  Ógra  build  on  its  strong  campaigns,  which  are  essential  in  promoting  our  aims  and  ideas.  

Ógra  must  be  a  support  to  the  entire  Fianna  Fáil  organization  but  if  we  do  not  constantly  challenge  assumptions  provoke  debate  and   inform  policy-making,  then  we  cannot  consider  ourselves  to  be  the  future.  

2010  marks  35  years  of  Ógra  Fianna  Fáil.  Ógra  has  come  a  long  way  since  its  founding  by  Jack  Lynch  and  Seamus  Brennan  in  1975.  There  will  be  a  suitable  event  to  mark  the  occasion  about  which  I  will  inform  you  soon.  

Is  mise,  le  meas  

Thomas  Byrne  T.D.Cathaoirleach  ÓgraÓgra  Fianna  Fáil

MESSAGE FROM THE LEAS-CATHAOIRLEACHDear  Member,

It  is  a  pleasure  in  this  the  first  Grassroots  of  the  new  National  Youth  Committee  term  to  be  able  to  outline  to  you  the  plans  we  are  working  on  for  the  coming  term.  I  promise  to  work  tirelessly  on  behalf  of  all  of  our  members.

The  National  Youth  Committee  had  its  first  meeting  on  the  5th  December.  At  this  meeting  we  discussed  what  we  wanted  the  organisation  to  acheive.  Last  year  was  an  extremely  successful  one  for  the  Organisation  and  we  hope  to  replicate  it  this  year.  The  many  new  events  which  took  place  last  year  will  now  become  permanent  fixtures  in  the  Ógra  calendar  and  will  ensure  that  we  have  constant  activity  taking  place  throughout  the  year  in  which  you  can  take  part.  This  year  we  can  look  forward  to  the  the  Ógra  Summer  School  and  the  Ógra  Consulta-tive  to  name  just  a  few.

Following  the  National  Youth  Conference  we  also  identified  the  key  policy  areas  which  we  would  address.  Foremost  of  these  is  the  problem  of  Youth  Unemploy-ment.  We  have  begun   to  put   together   a  detailed  paper  on  new  approaches  which  can  tackle  this  problem  and  if  you  have  any  concerns  or  ideas  of  your  own  please  contact  your  NYC  representative.

We   are   anxious   to   ensure  Ógra's   continued   development   as   a   vibrant   and  dynamic  organisation  which  responds  to  the  needs  of  its  members.  To  help  us  achieve  this  we  will  be  sending  a  survey  to  all  our  members  in  the  coming  weeks  

would  like  to  see  us  do  in  the  future.  Please  respond  to  this  survey  when  it  arrives  in  your  inbox  and  help  us  build  an  organisation  we  can  be  proud  of.

As  always  if  you  have  any  issues  which  you  would  like  to  raise  please  do  not  hesitate  to  contact  me  at  087-6467467  or  joseph.oneill@ogra.ieI  look  forward  to  meeting  you  all  again  in  the  coming  weeks  and  months.

Regards,

Joe  O  NeillLeas  CathaoirleachÓgra  Fianna  Fáil

THE WASHINGTON IRELANDPROGRAM FOR SERVICE & LEADERSHIPThe  Washington  Ireland  Program  for  Service  and  Leadership  (WIP)   is  preparing  the  next  generation  of   leaders   for  Ireland  and  Northern  Ireland.  It  does  this  by  bringing  together  promising  students  for  a  unique  team  development  experience  and  by  placing  them  in  Washington’s  most  prestigious  internships.

Students  are  placed  in  offices  representing  government,  business,  non-profit  and  media  organizations.   At   the   end   of   the   summer,   participants   return   home   with   enhanced  professional  and  interpersonal  skills  as  well  as  a  new  confidence  in  their  own  leadership  abilities.

For  more  information  and  online  application  (now  open)  please  log  on  to  the  website  at      www.wiprogram.org  -  Closing  date  for  applications  is  Friday  5th  February  2010.

Below  is  a  profile  of  WIP  graduate  and  Ógra  member,  Adrian  O’Higgins.

WIP  Profile:  Adrian  O’Higgins  (Class  of  2009)

1.  Tell  us  a  little  bit  about  yourself?

I'm  a  21  year  old  student  and  proud  Kilkenny  man  now  in  my  third  year  studying  Law  and  European   Studies   at   the  University   of   Limerick.   I'm   presently   on  Co-operative  Education   from  UL   which   is   essentially   work   experience   for   8  months.   I   spent   the  summer  in  DC  on  the  Washington  Ireland  Program  and  am  now  working  in  MEP  Liam  Aylward's  Office  in  Brussels  until  December.  Then  it's  off  to  Toulouse  on  Erasmus  until  I  have  to  return  home  to  complete  my  fourth  year  in  UL.

2.  How  was  working  for  John  McCain?

Quite   simply   surreal!    Everything   that  happened   in  our  office  generally  appeared  on  CNN  (or  more  likely  Fox)  within  ten  minutes  of  it  happening!    To  meet  the  man  himself  on  a  number  of  occasions  was  great.    No  matter  what  you  think  of  his  politics  he  is  clearly  a  very  principled  and  hard  working  public  representative.    I'll  always  remember  his  reply  when  asked  how  he  was  doing  after  losing  the  Presidential  Election,  "I  sleep  like  a  baby;  I  sleep  two  hours,  wake  up,  and  cry.    Sleep  two  hours,  wake  up,  and  cry".    Sums  it  up  really.

3.  What  do  you  care  about?

Apart  from  the  obvious  things  like  family,  friends  and  food,  I  am  very  passionate  about  public  service  and  politics.    As  Bismarck  stated  "Politics  is  the  art  of  the  possible"  and  I  think  no  better  example  of  this  can  be  found  then  in  our  own  country.    It  was  through  politics  and  political  activity  that  Ireland  as  a  nation  went  from  being  a  colony  and  one  of  the  poorest  countries  in  the  world  to  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  successful  nations  today.    I  know  we're  after  taking  a  heavy  hit  recently  but  if  you  were  to  assess  the  hopes  and  dreams  of  the  founding  fathers  of  the  State  and  compare  them  with  what  has  been  achieved  today  I  think  they'd  be  pretty  impressed.

4.  How  has  the  WIP  experience  impacted  on  your  life,  personally  

and  professionally?

A  better  question  might  be,  how  hasn't  the  WIP  experience  impacted  on  my  life!    Person-ally,  one  of  the  big  things  is  that  you  become  much  more  confident  in  yourself.    While  staying  in  the  US  you  begin  to  be  influenced  by  their  constructively  positive  outlook  and  their  inspiring  "can  do"  attitude.  

On  a  professional  level  I  probably  haven't  had  time  to  assess  the  impact  of  the  benefits  of  the  WIP  experience  due  to  the  fact  I  went  straight  from  Senator  McCain's  Office  to  MEP  Aylward's  Office  in  Brussels.    However  I  would  say  that  what  you  learn  during  your  8  weeks   in  DC  can  be  applied   to  any  area  of   life.    The  Program  certainly  makes  you  venture  outside  your  comfort  zone  and  encourages  you  to  put  yourself  out  there.

JAMES CARROLL ELECTED TO SEANAD ÉIREANNÓgra  member   James   Carroll   was   elected   to   Seanad   Éireann   in  November  2009.  Senator  Carroll  is  the  first  member  of  the  Fianna  Fáil   Parliamentary   Party   who   was   born   in   the   1980s.   Who   is  Senator  Carroll  and  what  does  he  do?

“I  am  26  years  of  age  and  when  I  was  elected   to  Seanad  Éireann  I  became   the  youngest  member  of  either  House  of  the  current  Oireachtas.  I  am  a  former  pupil  of  Harestown  National  School  in  Monasterboice  and  St  Oliver’s  Community  College  in  Drogheda.  I  graduated  in  2007  with  a  BCL  law  degree  from  UCD  after  serving  as  Students’  Union  President  in  2005/06.  In  June  2009,  I  was  elected  to  Louth  County  Council  for  the  Drogheda  East  electoral  area.  I  worked  as  Parliamentary  Assistant  to  Margaret  Conlon  T.D.   (Cavan-Monaghan)   for   two   years   prior   to  my   election   to  Seanad  Éireann  in  November  2009.

2009  was  a  rollercoaster  year  for  me  both  personally  and  politically.  In  late  December  2008,  I  was  selected  to  run  in  the  County  Council  elections.  It  was  a  step  into  the  unknown   for  me   but   I   had   the   experience   of   running   for   two   Students’  Union  elections  so  I  had  some  experience  at  electioneering.  Polling  for  the  council  elections  took  place  on  June  5th  and  I  was  elected  the  next  day  on  the  first  count  receiving  1,495  votes   (1.01  quotas).  This  was  a  real  vindication   for   the  dedicated  and  hard  working  campaign  team  who  sacrificed  so  much  during  the  previous  few  months.  I  really   enjoyed   working   as   a   councillor,   helping   people   with   the   wide   variety   of  problems  that  arose.    

In  early  November,  about  five  months  after  the  local  elections  I  received  a  call  to  say  that  An  Taoiseach  Brian  Cowen  T.D.  wanted  to  meet  with  me.  I  was  completely  shocked  when  An  Taoiseach  told  me  he  was  going  to  ask  the  parliamentary  party  to  support  my  nomination  to  Seanad  Éireann,  to  take  the  late  Senator  Tony  Kett’s  seat.  On  Monday,  23rd  November  I  was  elected  and  I  took  my  seat  that  Wednesday.  It  was  a  wonderful  day  for  my  family  and  friends  who  had  all  helped  in  so  many  ways  to  get  me  to  where  I  am  today.  

My  first  month  was  extremely  hectic  with  the  Budget  going  through  the  Seanad  with  some  very   tough  decisions   that  had   to  be  made.  The  Minister   for  Finance  Brian  Lenihan  has  excelled  himself  in  his  new  role  and  I  hope  that  he  can  continue  to  do  so  despite  his  current  illness.    

At  the  moment  I  am  in  the  process  of  opening  my  new  full-time  constituency  office  in  Drogheda  which  will  serve  the  town  and  the  surrounding  area.  2010  is  going  to  be  a  challenging  year  for  us  all  and  I  hope  that  my  addition  to  Seanad  Éireann  gives  a  voice  to  not  only  Ógra  Fianna  Fáil  members  but  all  young  people  throughout  the  country.   If  anyone  has  any   ideas  or   issues  on  what   the  Party  or   the  Government  should  be  working  on,  I  would  be  delighted  to  hear  from  you.  If  you  have  an  opinion  on  legislation  or  have  any  ideas/views  on  what  I  can  do  to  help  enhance  the  country  or  your  area,  please  call  me  at  01-6184374,  email  me  at  james.carroll@oireachtas.ie,  contact  me  on  Facebook  or  even  write  a  letter.”

Ógra  member  and  WIP  participant  Adrian  O’Higgins An  Taoiseach  Brian  Cowen  T.D.  with  Senator  James  Carroll

Ógra  Grassroots  –  February  2010

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ÓGRA INSTRUMENTAL IN YES VOTE FOR LISBON TREATY  

by  Brendan  HayesThe   Lisbon   Treaty   Referendum   held   last   October   was   the   culmination   of   many   months   of  hard-work  and  was  over  overwhelmingly  accepted  by  the  Irish  people,  with  67%  of  the  electorate  voting  yes  on  the  day.  With  the  result,  Ireland  can  now  reclaim  its  place  at  the  heart  of  European  politics.  The  result  was  a  good  day  for  Ireland  and  a  good  day  for  Europe.  

Ógra  Fianna  Fáil  played  a  central  role  in  promoting  a  Yes  Vote  in  last  year’s  referendum.  We  were  one  of  the  first  organisations  to  commence  our  campaign  with  a  launch  event  being  held  in  Cork  in  late  August  with  Minister   for   Foreign  Affairs,  Micheal  Martin,  Minister   for  Europe  Dick  Roche   and  Ireland  South  MEP,  Brian  Crowley.  The  event  was  very  well  attended  with  members  travelling  from  across  the  country  for  a  weekend  event  that  also  included  workshops  on  economic  recovery.

What  followed  the  successful   launch  event  was  eight  weeks  of   intense  campaigning,  debating  and  canvassing.  At  a  local  level,  every  Ógra  unit  in  the  country  engaged  with  the  campaign  in  some  way,  drawing  on  the  support  of  members  and  supporters  across  the  constituencies.  Many  units  organised  talks  in  their  areas  that  focused  on  the  Treaty  provisions  itself  while  almost  all  units  worked  with  the  senior  organisations  in  their  respective  areas.

Apart  from  the  important  work  of  canvassing,  Ógra  used  the  Third  Level  Recruitment  Campaign  to  great  effect,  publicising  a  yes  vote  among  the  student  bodies  with  posters  and   literature  across  all  campuses  in  the  country.  We  also  embraced  the  new  generation  of  media  by  designing  videos  for  use  on  social  networking  sites  such  as  Facebook  and  YouTube.  These  videos  contained  interviews  with  special  guests  and  Ógra  members.  Ógra  was   the  only  youth  organisation   to  use   this  medium  of  campaigning.

The  success  of  the  Lisbon  campaign  and  the  visible  role  Ógra  took  in  its  success  is  a  testament  to  the  work  of  all  members.  The  campaign  should  act  as  a  platform  from  which  Ógra  can  develop  its  focus  on  campaigning  and  the  organisation  should  be  instrumental  in  ensuring  that  Ireland  itself  re-engages  with  Europe.  Every  Ógra  unit  deserves  credit   for  the  hard  work  of   its  members,  which  yet  again  showed  how  visibly  strong  and  vibrant  our  membership  is.

THANK YOU FROM THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRSI  am  delighted   to  acknowledge   the  vital  contribution  made  by   the  members  of  Ógra  during   the  Lisbon  Treaty  Referendum  Campaign.

Following  Ógra’s   launch  of   their  Yes  to  Lisbon  campaign  in  Cork  on  the  29th  August,  members  participated  in  canvassing,  in  local  debates  as  well  as  making  their  voices  heard  through  the  media.

new  opportunities  such  as  the  new  European  Voluntary  Humanitarian  Aid  Corps,  the  inclusion  of  young  people  in  democracy  as  well  as  fairness  and  openness  in  sport.

Ógra  can  be  proud  of  the  role  it  played  in  delivering  this  Treaty  for  young  people  throughout  Ireland.

Micheál  Martin  T.D.Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs

3RD LEVEL UPDATE  

by  Eamon  QuinlanIn  recent  months,  Ógra's  third  level  Cumainn  have  once  again  showed  themselves  to  be  at  the  forefront  of   the  organisation   in   terms  of  activities,   recruitment  and  organisation.  The  mobilisation  of   these  Cumainn  for  the  Lisbon  2  Referendum  has  been  credited  at  every  level  in  Fianna  Fail  as  having  played  an  important  and  ultimately  decisive  role  in  the  successful  outcome.  It  was  in  this  campaign  that  Ógra's  ability   to   get   numbers   of   articulate   young   activists   on   the   ground   putting   forward   the   Yes   side’s  arguments  and  refutingthe  No  sides  assertions  that  showed  our  strongest  qualities  in  shaping  events.  

The  recruitment  campaigns  of  this  term  also  proved  highly  successful,  with  several  third  level  units  reporting  an  increase  of  membership  subscription  on  previous  years.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  our  newly  founded  cumann  in  St.  Patrick’s  College  Dublin  and  we  would  like  to  wish  them  every  

The   highlight   was   of   course   our  National   Youth  Conference   in   Bundoran.   Third   level   cumainn  

for  a  very  enjoyable  weekend  of  workshops,  canvassing  and  downright  fun.  For  the  post  Christmas  college  term,  many  colleges  have  an  ambitious  programme  of  events,  which  include  

These  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  events  lined  up  across  the  country  over  the  coming  months,  all  of  which  are  down  to    individual  members  initiative.  Over  the  coming  term  the  third  level  cumainn  will  work  together  to  make  such  events  bigger,  more  inclusive  and  successful.

NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE 2009, BUNDORAN  

by  Conor  KingOver  300  delegates  from  right  around  the  country  travelled  to  this  year’s  National  Youth  Conference  which  was  held  in  the  Great  Northern  Hotel,  Bundoran.  The  Conference  kicked  off  with  an  organisational  workshop,  chaired  by  Senator  James  Carroll.  This  was  followed  by  the  hustings  for  NYC  representatives  and  Ard  Chomhairle  positions.  After  some  vigorous  and  sometimes  heated  questioning  of  prospective  candidates,  the  Tánaiste  formally  opened  the  conference  and  welcomed  delegates  to  Donegal.  She  reminisced  with  delegates  of  her  first  youth  conference  which  was  held  in  the  same  hotel.  The  final  event  of  the  night  was  a  hustings  for  the  position  of  Leas  Cathaoirleach.  What  followed  was  a  robust  debate  on  the  future  direction  ofÓgrawith  both  candidates  taking  questions  from  the  floor.  With  the  formal  proceedings  over,  delegates  were  entertained  by  Mystic  Celt  and  Next  Generation,  while  last  minute  canvassing  by  election  hopefuls  continued  well  into  the  next  morning.

The  next  day  started  bright  and  early  with  voting  beginning  at  9am.  For  most  delegates  this  meant  getting  an  abrupt  wakeup  call  by  candidates  trying  to  get  the  vote  out.  Once  polling  closed  the  motion  workshops  began.  Many  lively  and  interesting  debates  were  had,  including  a  suggestion  to  lower  the  voting  age  to  16,  a  call  for  top  public  servants  to  have  their  salaries  capped,  a  proposal  for  full  marriage  equality  and  a  motion  demanding  our  overly  restrictive  licensing  laws  to  be  brought  into  line  with  European  norms.    

At  11:30am,  the  first  of  three  seminars  began.  Noel  Dempsey  T.D.,  Minister  for  Transport  and  Noel  Brett,  CEO  of  the  Road  Safety  Authority,  began  a  discussion  on  road  safety,  where  they  challenged  Ógra  to  raise  awareness  on  the  matter  among  young  people.  The  second  seminar  entitled  the  Smart  Economy  was  attended  by  the  Tánaiste  Mary  Coughlan,  Minister  for  Education  and  Science,  Batt  O’Keeffe  T.D.,  John  Herlihy,  Vice  President  for  Global  Ad  Operations  at  Google  and  Rita  Shah  Managing  Director  of  Shah  Plastics  and  2009  Women  Mean  Business  Entrepreneur  of  the  Year  Award.  They  provided  a  fascinating  insight  into  the  challenges  that  Irish  businesses  face  and  where  we  as  nation  need  to  

An  Taoiseach,  Brian  Cowen  T.D.  addressed  the  conference  on  the  theme  of  renewal.  He  said  that  the  last  year  had  been  a  difficult  one,  both  for  our  country  and  for  our  party.  He  stated  that  the  government  had  to  take  tough  choices  to  restore  the  country  to  growth.  He  said  that  we  need  to  reform  our  party  to  take  account  of  changing  nature  of  Irish  society.  He  challenged  Ógrato  be  a  leading  driver  of  that  change  within  the  party.  He  also  thanked  delegates  for  their  loyal  support  in  the  recent  European  and  local  elections  and  in  the  Lisbon  Treaty  referendum.  Outgoing  Leas  Cathaoirleach  Joseph  O’Neill  spoke  to  delegates,  stating  that  while  Ógra  has  many  challenges  ahead,  it  could  be  proud  of  its  work  over  the  last  year.  Attention  quickly  moved  on  to  the  election  count  with  the  results  providing  the  usual  mix  of  intrigue  and  drama.  

The  conference  concluded  with  the  traditional  Gala  Banquet.  Guest  speaker  Seán  Gallagher,  of  Dragon’s  Den  fame,  shared  shared  his  experiences  of  Ógra  and  also  gave  some  advice  and  encouragement  for  the  future.  All  attention  then  focused  on  the  big  screen  to  watch  the  disappointing  first  leg  of  Ireland  against  France.  It  was  then  up  to  Blue  Moose  to  entertain  delegates,  which  they  did  brilliantly.  They  were  followed  the  DJ  who  continued  well  past  the  early  hours  of  the  morning.  

Credit  must  go  to  Donegal  South  West  Ógra  and  Brian  Doyle  for  all  their  hard  work  in  organising  an  unforgettable  weekend.

BUDGET 2010by  John  ReganThe   medicine   is   painful…   the   alternatives   are   unthinkable.   The   2010  Budget,  introduced  by  Brian  Lenihan  on  December  9th  certainly  achieved  what  the  Government  had  set  out  to  do  –  bring  certainty  to  the  economy  and   halt   any   further   rise   in   the   deficit.   The   scale   of   the   budgetary  adjustment  necessary  had  been  signalled  for  months  -   4  Billion  had  to  be  saved  just  to  stand  still.  Next  year  the  economy  is  expected  to  contract  by  1.25%  with  an  upswing  in  the  second  half  of  2010.  

The   decision   to   cut   public   sector   pay   by   1.3   billion   put   the   Irish  government  into  direct  conflict  with  the  public  sector  unions.  The  Govern-ment  proved  that  it  was  willing  to  take  this  tough  decision  and  not  shirk  its  responsibilities.  Painful  as  they  may  be,  public  sector  workers  enjoy  a  large  degree   of   job   certainty   which   private   sector   workers   do   not.   Like   any  employer  or  household,  the  State  must  balance  its  books  and  live  within  its  means.

The  other  area  of  significant  adjustment  in  this  budget  was  social  welfare  payments.   Since   1997   the   government   has   increased   social   welfare  payments  by  130%  on  average  with  Child  Benefit  rising  by  over  330%.  The  cost  of  living  has  risen  by  about  40%  during  the  same  period  and  has  fallen  by  over  6%  in  the  past  year,  with  substantial  falls  in  food,  clothes  and  rental  accommodation.  The  cuts  of  4.1%  to  most  social  welfare  payments  (with  the  exception  of  the  State  Pension)  and  the   16  reduction  in  child  benefit  will  come  into  effect  from  January.  Making  these  modest  cuts  today  and  helping  to  close  the  deficit  will  ensure  deeper  cuts  are  avoided  in  the  future  and  the  high  levels  of  social  protection  offered  can  be  secured  in  the  long  term.

Addressing   the   unemployment   problem,  Minister   Lenihan   provided   an  extra   136  million  in  funding  for  training  schemes  and  support  services.  This  brings  the  total  number  of  training  places  and  government-backed  places  to  180,000.  PRSI  exemptions  will  be  offered  to  encourage  employers  to  take  people  off  the  dole.  The  recently  announced  changes  to  the  Tempo-rary  Employment  Subsidy  Scheme  will  also  help  to  alleviate  the  problem  over  the  coming  months.

The  Budget   also   contained   a   number   of  measures   designed   to   get   the  economy  moving  again.  Consumption   taxes  have  been  cut   to  provide  a  stimulus   to   the   retail   sector,   which   has   been   hit   significantly   in   recent  months.  The  increased  investment  in  the  tourism  sector  and  the  ‘subsidised  travel’  scheme  for  older  tourists  is  a  welcome  boost  for  our  rural  communi-ties.   Fianna   Fail   in  Government   is   also  maintaining   one   of   the   largest  capital  investment  programmes  in  the  EU,  investing  in  our  roads,  schools,  communications  and  energy  infrastructure.  The  long  term  gains  from  these  investments  over  the  past  12  years  will  ensure  Ireland  is  well  prepared  for  the  21st  century.

This  budget  should  be  welcomed  by  everyone,  particularly  young  people.  Taking  tough  action  today;  getting  our  budget  deficit  under  control  and  keeping  our  national  debt  as  low  as  possible  will  ensure  future  generations  are  not  burdened  by  crippling  tax  rates.  This  government  is  committed  to  ensuring  Ireland  does  not  have  a  ‘lost  generation’  much  like  the  1980’s.

Ógra  members  celebrate  the  Lisbon  Campaign  victory  at  Dublin  Castle.

Brian  Lenihan,  Minister  for  Finance  on  Budget  Day

Ógra  members  Duane  Brown,  Joey  Crawley  and  Jessica  Brennan  recruiting  in  DCU

An  Taoiseach  Brian  Cowen  with  delegates  at  the  Ógra  Conference  in  Bundoran.

Ógra  Grassroots  –  February  2010 Ógra  Grassroots  –  February  2010