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Media Partners: The 51��ɫ Leader. 51��ɫ’s journalism department is inviting 51��ɫ city general election candidates to have their say on the future of the city ahead of polling day on November 29th. Hosted by Journalism@ul the general election debate will be held at 1pm on Wednesday November 20th next, in front of a live audience. All declared candidates for the 51��ɫ city constituency have been invited to participate in this public debate, which underlines UL’s journalism department’s commitment to promoting democratic engagement and questioning and interrogating the political process. With political observers predicting a highly competitive race for the four seats in 51��ɫ 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. One of the candidates, Melanie Cleary, of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, is the mother of Eve Cleary who died aged 21 in 2019 after being discharged from the hospital. The need for social and affordable housing is also high on the agenda along with the cost of living, policing in 51��ɫ city centre and commercial vacancy rates, which are among the highest in the country. Several of the general election candidates running in the 51��ɫ city constituency also contested the race to become Ireland’s first directly elected mayor. The debate will be moderated by journalism lecturer, Dr Kathryn Hayes, a former journalist with extensive experience in general election coverage. Students from the 51��ɫ's journalism undergraduate and master's programmes will also be involved, providing live coverage and analysis as part of their coursework, gaining invaluable experience in political journalism. The debate will be streamed on 51��ɫ Voice digital news platforms with full reports on the day. “The journalism department in UL aims to inject new energy into the political conversation by providing 51��ɫ 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. “The event provides our journalism students with a real-world opportunity to practice their craft while reporting for 51��ɫ Voice, UL journalism department’s award winning news platform, ” she added. Head of Journalism at UL Dr Fergal Quinn said the department is delighted to have the 51��ɫ Leader 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 51��ɫ 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, answer tough questions, and demonstrate their readiness to serve.” For more information contact: Kathryn.hayes@ul.ie or eic@ul.ie