Carlow Candidate Selected To Run In Euro Elections For People Before Profit

People Before Profit have selected a Carlow based candidate to run in the South constituency for the European Elections. Ms. Wallace worked as a waitress before becoming a campaign organiser across the South East. She is officially launching next Wednesday the 23rd of January at 7.30pm in the Seven Oaks Hotel in Carlow where she will be joined by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett. Ms. Wallace, who is also contesting the local elections said, ‘It’s an exciting time for politics in Ireland. People power has reshaped the landscape and challenged a decaying and stale system. I am fighting to represent the next generation who are fighting for a better future.’

Ms. Wallace will contest the European elections on a number of key issues including ensuring that their is no hard border, on an opposition to PESCO, on fighting what she calls the ‘democratic deficit’ of the European Union and by taking a hard stance against those who are ‘trying to wrap barbed wire around European borders and allowing refugees to drown in the Mediterranean’.

On Brexit Ms. Wallace said, ‘The Tories are in total disarray and have clearly shown their incompetence. People Before Profit are totally opposed a hard border. Not only is it completely inconvenient for the thousands who live in border areas and regularly travel to and fro, it will also lead to the strengthening of partition and possibly a resurgence of sectarian violence. We are calling on the Irish government to ensure they do not allow a hard border go up, even if they are told to by the European Union. We will campaign for mass, peaceful civil disobedience if this prospect becomes a reality –  just like communities did to counter the British Army who bore craters into the roads to disrupt travel in the 70’s.’

People Before Profit are opposed PESCO and are campaigning to ‘build homes not war’. Ms. Wallace added that ‘PESCO was a move to dramatically increase arms spending and erode Irish military neutrality, without any public debate. It requires participating member states to increase defence budgets. This would quadruple expenditure to close to €4 billion annually and take billions away from solving the current housing and health emergencies.’

Ms. Wallace said, ‘Across the globe we are seeing the status quo crumble. This election will be about ensuring something progressive replaces the austerity agendas that have clearly failed. The 2019 European Parliament elections will change the EU’s Political Dynamics – I will be fighting for more democracy, for more migrant rights, greener policies and a shift away from privatization.’

Richard Boyd Barrett TD added, ‘People Before Profit have been at the fore of organising people power to bring about change. Adrienne Wallace is a great candidate and a well known fighter in her community. Every No. 1 vote for People Before Profit is a blow to a conservative establishment and to the grip that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have over Irish politics.’