Eoin Ó Broin selected to contest Dún Laoghaire

dublin | politics / elections | press release

Wednesday December 13, 2006 19:37

by Eoin Ó Broin - Sinn Féin

eoinobroin at hotmail dot com

Sinn Féin has selected Eoin Ó Broin to contest the Dún Laoghaire constituency in the forthcoming Leinster House election. Eoin Ó Broin, a native of Cabinteely and Blackrock, is the party's Director of European Affairs and a former member of Belfast City Council. The convention took place at the Kingston Hotel, Dún Laoghaire.

Eoin Ó Broin

In his address to the selection convention Ó Broin laid out his vision of the type of Ireland Sinn Féin wants to see. He said:

"People are entitled to a decent health service, a decent education, a decent home that doesn't cost the earth, a decent job with good pay and working conditions, and a decent standard of living and quality of life. These entitlements are not part of today's Ireland, but they can and should be. They are rights that Sinn Féin would deliver in government.

"One of Sinn Féin's priorities is the provision of social housing. Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council are the worst council in the state for providing social housing with 3,519 households now on the waiting list while at the same time huge housing developments are being built throughout the borough. This means that young people are being forced out of the area when it comes to getting a home. We want to see this changed. We want to see a timetabled plan to eliminate the housing list and we want to see the council stop allowing property developers buying their way of out providing affordable housing.

"The attendance at our convention reflects the mood of confidence and determination among our party members across this constituency. We have re-built the party and are now in the position of challenging the old political establishment in this constituency. We in Sinn Féin will work tirelessly in the coming months to provide the alternative that many people are crying out for."ENDS

Eoin O'Broin - Profile

Eoin Ó Broin is a native of Cabinteely and Blackrock. Educated at Blackrock College, Dublin and Crown Woods Comprehensive, London, he holds a degree in Cultural Studies from East London University, an MA in Irish Politics from Queens University Belfast and is currently completing a second MA in International Relations in Dublin City University. Eoin has lived and worked in Belfast since 1995 and recently returned to live in Dun Laoghaire.

Eoin has worked full time for Sinn Féin for eleven years. From 1997 to 1999 he was the National Organiser for Ógra Shinn Féin. From 2001 to 2004 he represented the Old Park electoral district on Belfast City Council. Since 2004 Eoin has held the position of Director of European Affairs, coordinating Sinn Féin's team in the European Parliament, the party's political relationships with political parties across Europe and coordinating Sinn Féin's lobby operation in Britain. Eoin is a member of the party's Ard Comhairle.

Eoin is also a published author. His first book 'Matxinada' Basque Nationalism and Radical Basque Youth Movements was published in English in 2004 and in Spanish in 2005. His second book, Sinn Féin and the Politics of Left Republicanism will be published by Pluto Press in 2007. Eoin is also the editor of Left Republican Review.

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Comments (9 of 9)

Congratulations to Dunlaoighre Sinn Fein

by Eyes to the Left

Thu Dec 14, 2006 15:57

May I take this opportunity to congratulate the Sinn Féin members in Dunlaoighre on their choice of an excellent candidate. Eoin offers working people in Dunlaoighre an alternative voice in the forthcoming Dail elections.

Eoin from what I have read is one of the most eloquent and hard working off policital activists on the Left, who garners great respect across all parties and campaign groups.

He was most vocal in campaigns against discrimination, poverty and exclusion during his time on Belfast City Council, as a representative for North Belfast and at a time which saw the turbulent days of the Holy Cross dispute in his constituency.

I have no doubt that some day he will make an excellent choice as Minister for Foreign Affairs for his party.

O'Broin's book

by Topper

Fri Dec 15, 2006 01:04

That forthcoming book sounds pretty interesting. Any more specifics on the publication date - is it gonna be spring, summer, winter? Gonna be available in shops over here?

It does seem a bit funny now, two Marxists running for election in DL, but there's plenty of working-class areas in that constituency along with the big houses.

In fairness now...

by waffleholic - waffleholics anonymous

Sat Dec 16, 2006 02:02

Eoin O'Broin, while a perfectly intelligent and capable candidate, is hardly a marxist or gift to the left or the working class, he is, in a word, a waffler!

That's not meant personally - but politically, he can talk all the talk about the left and socialism etc. But does he mean it? Listen to the man - he doesn't at all. He has new Sinn Fein written all over him, with a very thin veneer of leftish rhetoric.

He would indeed make a very capable Minister for Foreign Affairs - he'd sit comfortably with Blair and Bush, or Brown and Clinton or whoever. He would doe the deals he "had to do", because he was being "p-p-p-p-p-p-practical", and then come home and use his rhetoric to explain to everyone he got the best deal he could, blah blah blah.

Mark my words!

Maybe so

Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:54

I've heard members of SF refer to O'Broin and Justin Moran as "Marxists", but apparently the man himself doesn't. "Waffleholic" may prove to be right in the long run, but I'd still be curious to have a look at that book - you don't get too much of SF actually spelling out what their strategy is and what kind of socialism they believe in, Adams is usually vague and comes out with platitudes

Waffleholic and Topper

by Karl M

Sat Dec 16, 2006 18:50

Would be interested to know how both the above posters can feel so comfortable in their fairly ignorant assumptions about the sincerity or otherwise of Eoin O'Broin?

I suppose both of them must have done more work for the cause of socialism than he has? I suppose they too publish a socialist magazine, actively champion the cause of oppressed peoples and have spent more than the last decade of their lives working full time in working class areas for little remuneration.

No need to be so touchy

Sat Dec 16, 2006 20:02

You can address your remarks to "Waffleholic", but not me. I didn't express a view about O'Broin's sincerity (never met the bloke so can't really say). "Waffleholic" may turn out to be right about him, or he may not, we'll see in time. Since you're obviously an admirer of his, can you answer my question about his book - I'm genuinely interested.

Foxrock- No problem- but tell the truth

by Enough sinn feign - none

Sat Dec 16, 2006 20:29

Sinn Fein members are so used to telling lies that they dont seem to mind who knows anymore. Eoin grew up in an exclusive housing estate beside Foxrock village in South County Dublin. In and of itself this does not matter but why must sf lie and lie and lie and........

Not Foxrock

by SF in Berkeley

Fri Jan 30, 2009 07:41

actually Leopardstown. And I grew up near by & its not exclusive I can assure you.

Probably a genuine guy but..

by Make Politicians History

Fri Jan 30, 2009 13:22

he'll just enter the bureaucratic mess of the "democracy" weve been given and disappear in a sea of unaccountability and the status-quo-

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Eoin Ó Broin selected to contest Dún Laoghaire

Comments (9 of 9)