Limerick City General Election candidates poised for UL debate

UNIVERSITY of Limerick’s (UL) journalism department is inviting Limerick City General Election candidates to have their say on the future of the city ahead of polling day on November 29.

Hosted by Journalism@ul the General Election debate will be held in front of a live audience at the Bernal Institute at 1pm on Wednesday, November 20.

All declared candidates for the Limerick City constituency are being invited to participate in this public debate, underlining UL’s commitment to promoting democratic engagement and questioning the political process.

With political observers predicting a highly competitive race for the four seats in Limerick City, the event is designed to highlight the issues facing the constituency, where the continued pressures on services at UHL remains one of the biggest concerns.  

The need for social and affordable housing is also high on the agenda along with the cost of living,  policing in the city and commercial vacancy rates.

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The debate will be moderated by journalism lecturer, Dr Kathryn Hayes, a former journalist with extensive experience in General Election coverage. Students from UL's journalism undergraduate and master's programmes will also be involved, providing live coverage and analysis.

“The journalism department in UL aims to inject new energy into the political conversation by providing Limerick City candidates a platform to present their policies and visions for the city, and we are hoping to hear from as many candidates as possible,” explained Dr Hayes, Course Director, BA Journalism and Digital Communication.

Head of Journalism at UL, Dr Fergal Quinn, said the department is delighted to have the Limerick Leader / Limerick Live website on board as media partners. “This event is a critical showcase of what journalism is about: questioning and interrogating political process.

“We are delighted to have the support of our media partners The Limerick Leader, one of the oldest regional titles in the country, and a key player in local journalism and supporting local democracy,” said Dr Quinn.

“This debate is an exciting opportunity for our students and the public to engage directly with the future of Irish politics. We believe it’s crucial to highlight the unique challenges that our city is facing and give candidates here a platform to articulate their policies.”