This story was first published on June 17^th, 2004.

The Ballymun local election candidates presented their mandates to the people of Ballymun on Thursday, June 3^rd at 7.30 pm in the Axis Arts and Community Centre.

Organised by the Ballymun Partnership, Ballymun Welfare Rights and the Drop In Well Family Resource Centre, the aim of the meeting was to give the candidates the opportunity to present their political agenda to the people of Ballymun and for the people to have the chance to ask questions in return.

Picture: The panel from left to right: Kevin Wingfield (Socialist Workers), Eamonn O'Brien (Labour Party), Derek Fitzpatrick (Chairperson), Andrew Montague (Labour Party), Dermot Hamilton (Green Party), John Dunne (Workers Party), Ray Corcoran (Sinn Fein), Brendan Brady (FG).

Chaired by Derek Fitzpatrick the debate covered a range of topics, the most pressing issues included the regeneration, employment of local people on building sites, education and childcare.

The meeting was part of an on-going voter participation campaign being run by Ballymun Welfare Rights. According to Aine Rooney co-ordinator of the organisation: "There is a renewed enthusiasm among the people of Ballymun to vote in the local elections this year. This would seem to be because of the new shape that Ballymun is taking". Ballymun is currently undergoing one of the biggest regeneration projects in Europe. According to an area profile completed by the Ballymun Partnership in 2003, nine out of ten people living in the area feel that the local community should be more involved in the running of Ballymun, and over half would like to be directly involved in their local area council. Those who attended felt the meeting was a great success and many have asked for another debate after the local elections.

Picture: The audience listen to the candidates present their mandates.