Savvy secondary school students put Greens to the test

IT’S a good job the girls of St Louis High School aren’t unleashed on the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ sides in the Lisbon referendum. They’d have them for breakfast.

Green leader John Gormley was at the secondary school in Rathmines, Dublin, yesterday afternoon to chat about Europe.

With him was the party’s spokesperson for Europe Deirdre de Burca and after saying their pieces, they took questions.

All very nice so far.

John spoke about why Europe was important and Deirdre talked about why the EU was so good for Ireland.

In front of about 70 transition year (TY) girls, both politicians outlined their cases and ensured they didn’t patronise their young audience.

“The problem is when you start mentioning European treaties, the eyes start glazing over . . .” began Ms de Burca.

The lazy-minded might have imagined the questions from these teenagers to be like: “ohmigod, where’s Brussels” or “are EU, like, serious?”

But after inviting the questions, the Greens were on the ropes, fielding all manner of awkward curveballs.

St Louis stages a mock referendum every time there is a real one held. And according to the school’s TY co-ordinator Sharon Muldoon, they are spot on every time.

Pupils Ella Adler (17) and Aisling Balfe (17) described how last year the school, like rest of the country, resoundingly voted ‘No’.

“The students heard the arguments of both sides and voted accordingly,” said Ella.

“It was really interesting,” added Aisling.

Teenagers see things. They see the Lisbon posters everywhere. They see Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary pushing for a ‘Yes’. They see stories about Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue and his expenses and they see that they might not have a future in Ireland.

Yesterday, they were interested in Europe but deeply concerned too about domestic issues and what awaits them when they become adults.

So, like intelligent voters worth their salt (even though most of them will wait another year for the privilege) they didn’t pull their punches.

Pow!

“Convince me in four sentences why we should vote ‘Yes’.”

Bam!

“People are losing their houses but why is the government blowing thousands on expenses and cars?”

Smack!

“Why is the government going to pay €54bn to bail out the banks?” Mr Gormley took a big breath.

It’s not his job to defend John O’Donoghue’s outrageous bills but the minister knows public outrage over expenses might cost ‘Yes’ votes.

Different

“A lot of people might be tempted to say ‘I don’t like what is going on’ and they might be tempted to vote ‘No’ … but it’s a different issue.”

“I have access to the government jet,” Mr Gormley told the wide-eyed girls.

“But I don’t use it,” he added triumphantly. “It costs an awful lot and doesn’t make sense from the point of view of emissions.”

He then assured the secondary school girls there was not even the slightest of chances that they, in the years to come, would have to pay for NAMA.

As some of the teenagers raised their eyebrows, he said there would be protection from the debt of the banks for future generations.

“The taxpayer will be protected, that message has not got out yet,” said Mr Gormley.

“You will not be left with the debt. That will not happen.”

In the St Louis school library yesterday, the future generation stared back at him, desperately wanting to believe him.

- Ciaran Byrne
see more: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lisbon-treaty/savvy-secondary-school-students-put-greens-to-the-test-1894963.html