"Dissolve The Echo Chambers" - Former MEP Patricia McKenna To Contest Seanad By-Election

national | politics / elections | news report Wednesday February 23, 2022 15:51 by McKenna for Seanad

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Former MEP and barrister Patricia McKenna has declared her candidacy in the forthcoming Seanad by-election for the University of Dublin constituency. McKenna, one of seventeen candidates contesting the by-election, is seeking to fill the seat left vacant following the election of the Labour Party’s Ivana Bacik in the Dublin Bay South by-election last July.

McKenna, a practicing barrister since 2016, previously served as an MEP for Dublin from 1994 to 2004, resigning from the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas in 2009 following the party’s decision to support the bank bail-outs and the creation of the National Assets Management Agency (NAMA). She is best known for the landmark 1995 Supreme Court case, McKenna v. An Taoiseach, in which she successfully challenged and put an end to the use of taxpayer’s money in the promoting of one side in a referendum campaign. This ruling also led to the creation of the Referendum Commission.

On why she is running in the forthcoming by-election, McKenna says, “I’m deeply concerned about the lack of debate and suppression of alternative views in our political system and I’m fed up with the echo chambers. I want genuine debate on all issues, we should hear the other side, even when we don’t agree with them.”

“During my ten years in the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency, I served as vice chair of both the Parliament’s delegation to ASEAN and of the Green Group in the Parliament. I used my position to stand up for our communities, environment, the most vulnerable in society, peace and democracy. I will do the same in Seanad Éireann if elected” says McKenna.

McKenna is running on a platform of:
- Encouraging open debate and critical analysis of policies;
- Reforming the Seanad by legislating for the Seventh Amendment, thus extending franchise to all third-level graduates;
- Protecting our planet and biodiversity,
- Opposing militarism and war, including Irish membership of PESCO and US Military use of Shannon Airport;
- Protection of fundamental rights and civil liberties;
- Bringing a genuine independent voice to Seanad.

Vote #1 Patricia McKenna, to deliver a blow to the political and media establishment.

Ballots are to be issued via post on the 25th of February 2022 and must be returned in time for the close of polling at 11am on the 30th of March 2022.

Website: https://www.mckenna4seanad.ie
Email: patricia@mckenna4seanad.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pmckennaa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmckennaa/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-mckenna-495568a9/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCNxmOMhNry8cPglEAn_dzw

Caption: McKenna for Seanad Election Video