Young Greens (Ireland)

The Young Greens ( _ga. Óige Ghlas) is the youth organisation of the Irish Green Party.

History

The Young Greens were formed in March 2002, as a group of students from the four main college campuses, which focused on the environment and social justice. It soon branched out to other college campuses and other themes, like opposition to the Iraq War and support for the Kyoto Protocol and Fairtrade. It campaigns for protection of the environment, human rights and more funding for education. The Young Greens conduct campaigns on a local as well as national level.

Organization

The Young Greens have over one thousand members in branches on eight university and IT campuses all over the island of Ireland, as well as some local branches to accommodate youths outside of third level education. Its national executive consists of eight officers - Chair (currently Louise Archbold of the University of Limerick), Secretary (Michael Pidgeon, UCD), Treasurer (Catherine Swift, Sligo), Communications Officer (Breandán MacGabhann, NUI Galway), Campaigns Officer (Barra Roantree, TCD), Policy Co-ordinator (Felix McElhone, TCD), International Liaisons Officer (Beatrice White, TCD) and Expansions Officer (Zoë Coleman, UCD). In 2004 it became associated with the Federation of Young European Greens.

As of April 2008, the official member branches are University College Cork, University College Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, National University of Ireland, Galway, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, University of Limerick, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Queen's University Belfast, and Cavan-Monaghan (formed may 2008).The Cavan/Monaghan young Greens is also the first ever young greens that is not university based. The organisation is currently looking to expand into Dublin City University and Dublin Institute of Technology in the immediate future. Membership now stands at over 1000, a 25% increase on last year's figures.

External links

* [http://www.younggreens.ie/ Young Greens official website]