European Election Candidate – Cyril Brennan

Name: Cyril Brennan

European Constituency: Midlands-North-West

Preferred pronouns: He 

Party: Solidarity-People Before Profit 

Have you held a previous elected position? No

What are your reasons for running?

I believe our communities has been forgotten by the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael duopoly that has failed Irish politics and I will seek to bring a genuine change that puts families and workers ahead of corporate interests. For too long politicians in our community have said anything to get elected and done nothing to fulfil promises made to our families. We have paid for this inaction with the emigration of thousands of our young people a chronic lack of infrastructure in the area and a loss of our basic health, housing and school services.

What parliamentary group will you sit with in the EP and why? Undecided  

What do you think are the biggest issues facing young people in Ireland and what do you intend to do about them?

I believe the issues around the environment, growing poverty, and access to further education will be major issues affecting young people. The destruction of our environment is being caused by rampant capitalism that needs continuous growth that is destroying our environment and eco-systems. The rise of homelessness and our current housing crisis is increasing rents to unaffordable levels and forcing people into poverty. These effects are also being felt by students trying to access accommodation to attend further education, the government need to stop relying on the private sector and build public housing. 

What will you do to ensure funding for opportunities for young people (e.g. Erasmus & Youth Employment Initiative) is increased in the next Multi-annual Financial Framework?

In the Midlands North West, funding for agriculture is essential so younger generations can have a future in sustainable farming, and I would push to see an emphasis on farm payments to support younger farmers.