Young Fine Gael
| Young Fine Gael | |
|---|---|
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|
| President | Marian O'Donnell (since November 2016) |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | 51 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland |
| Ideology |
Liberalism Christian democracy Pro-Europeanism Liberal conservatism |
| European affiliation | Youth of the European People's Party |
| Website | |
| www.yfg.ie | |
Young Fine Gael (YFG) is the autonomous youth wing of the major Irish political party Fine Gael. It offers its members scope to assist in formulation of political policy, and the day-to-day running of the senior party. It is a founding member of the centre-right pan-European organisation, Youth of the European People's Party, which is the youth wing of the European People's Party. YFG's constitution allows for the organisation to act on its own, independent from its parent party, enabling it to promote its own political objectives.
Young Fine Gael was formed in 1977 as part of the internal reforms to Fine Gael instigated by Garret FitzGerald, who had become leader of the party that same year. They grew rapidly with over 100 local branches of YFG being formed by 1978. During the 1980s the organisation pursued a fairly liberal agenda, supporting the repeal of Ireland's homosexuality laws; a ban on the state funding on single-sex schools; and greater family planning options. Nowadays there is a broad range of political viewpoints held by members, ranging from centrist and social-democratic to the more conservative.
In July 2013, YFG passed a motion calling on the Government of Ireland to start accession talks for NATO membership.
YFG is organised at a national level by its National Executive, elected at National Conference, held every 16–22 months; by regional councils, currently based on European Parliament constituencies; and locally by branches. Committees may also be established at a national level, accountable to the National Executive. Officers of all units work with the Fine Gael National Youth Officer, Kate Acheson, who is based in party headquarters.
The last National Conference took place in the Shearwater Hotel, Ballinasloe, Co Galway from 25–27 November 2016. The President, the Vice President and the first candidate elected on the panel sit on the Executive Council of Fine Gael. These are currently Marian O'Donnell, Michael Ward and Vivienne Phelan.
The current members of the YFG National Executive are:
The basic unit of organisation in Young Fine Gael is the branch. These are organised in every constituency in the country with some constituencies having more than one YFG branch. YFG also has prominent branches in most of the country's third level institutions to provide a forum to interested students in areas of political discussion, policy, debate and social activities.
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