Members Of Ireland's Ruling Party Blast President Of Their Own Youth Wing For Attending Conservative Conference In USA

A member of the Irish ruling party Fine Gael, who was elected to the European Parliament in May, is calling for the resignation of a young Irish man who is the president of the youth wing of Fine Gael (YGF) for one reason: he attended the annual National Conservative Student Conference (NCSC) of Young America’s Foundation (YAF) last week. 

YFG president Killian Foley-Walsh, accompanied by YFG’s social media officer, Chloe Kennedy, attended the conference. The Irish Independent quoted numerous members of the Fine Gael party who denounced Foley-Walsh for simply attending the conservative conference, reporting, “Midlands North-West MEP Maria Walsh, who was elected to the European Parliament in May, said she would be writing to Young Fine Gael (YFG) to call for the resignation of its president Killian Foley-Walsh. Separately, Fine Gael’s Dublin Central Dáil candidate Deirdre Duffy said she would be complaining to party HQ over Mr Foley-Walsh’s attendance at the Young America’s Foundation conference in Washington DC last week.”

Duffy added, “I know many young people in YFG who do not support these values or US reactionary conservative elements and are also concerned about their actions. Ireland does not need the US conservative politics of hate, spin and fake news that divides and works against true democracy.”

The Irish Independent quoted Fine Gael TD Noel Rock sniping, "I don't understand how any young person would want to align themselves with the present Republican administration — this certainly doesn't represent the progressive Young Fine Gael members I know."

Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner attacked YAF, outrgaeously linking the organization to the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, writing, “YFG president Killian Foley-Walsh attended the Young America’s Foundation conference in Washington DC, along with YFG’s social media officer, Chloe Kennedy. It is disproportionate to compare that conference visit with events in El Paso and Ohio, but there is a commonality. Those events are manifestations of growing intolerance morphing into hate.” 

 

According to the Irish Independent, one member of YFG allegedly stated, "The values of YAF are in complete contradiction to those of YFG and of the inclusive society YFG envisions. The overwhelming majority of YFG members do not share the regressive positions of YAF. YFG through the democratic decisions of its members supports same sex marriage, the regulation of termination of pregnancy bill 2018, the separation of religion and State and inclusive sexual education."

YAF fired back with a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The fact that anyone in Ireland is so threatened by a handful of students attending YAF’s flagship conference is a testament to these intolerant individuals’ weakness and insecurity in their own ideas.” 

 

YAF Spokesman Spencer Brown blasted, “The intolerance of the Left clearly knows no borders. The fact that Members of European Parliament or leaders from Ireland would attack a group of students for striving to broaden their intellectual horizons and learn from some of America’s leading decision makers is pathetic. These students—and all those who took time out of their summer to learn and engage in a true free and open exchange of ideas—ought to be applauded, not demonized or threatened. Furthermore, the attempts by Irish media to sling baseless accusations and politicize a tragedy in the United States is disgusting.”

YAF’s statement continued, “Young America’s Foundation has a long history of inviting students from around the world to participate in its conferences as YAF advances its mission to reach the rising generation with the principles of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values. Young America’s Foundation looks forward to inviting even more students from Ireland and other countries to attend the next National Conservative Student Conference.”