Tomás Sharkey - EU candidate East
Full name: Tomás Pearse Pádraig Sharkey
Born:16 April 1976 (It was a Good Friday)
Family: Wife Caroline of 5 years. Caroline has owned and runs her own business "The Flower Studio" in Dundalk for the last 12 years.
Honeymoon; Bora Bora in the South Pacific 2 days after the 2004 local elections. I was on a pay phone in Heathrow listening to the declaration of my election!
Interesting facts about your family:
I have 1 brother Paul (35) who works in the financial sector. He has 2 daughters Ciara(6) and Clodagh(2). My 3 sisters are Annaleen, Roisín and Oonagh. Annaleen is a solicitor and is married and working in London. She has a newborn son called James. Roisín and Oonagh live in Dundalk. I am the 3rd of 5 children, and the second of 2 sons. It can be tough being "middle child" and "number 2 son"! My parents came from opposite political homes. My grandfather Tom Kinch was once chair of Fianna Fáil in the area and stood in local elections. My Sharkey grandparents were strong Blueshirts.
Currently living in: Knockbridge, Dundalk.
Education:
National schooling in Blackrock Co louth. Second level in Christian Brothers/Coláiste Rís in Dundalk where I was educated through the medium of Gaeilge. Before leaving school I toyed with the idea of the priesthood. That passed.
I spent a brief but enjoyable 5 months studying International Marketing and Japanese in DCU before doing a Degree in Celtic Studies in Queen's, Belfast. This included celtic Civilization, Gaeilge, Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Manx and Medieval Cornish.
I arrived in Queen's 2 weeks after the start of the 1994 ceasefire. They were exciting times and the debates with John Tayor Junior, Peter Weir, Steven King and Sarah Cummings were always animated. I trained as a teacher in NUI Maynooth and qualified in 1999.
In reality I learned how to teach by working in the Gaeltacht every summer. As a college student in the Gaeltacht we shadowed the best teachers in Ireland and learned from them.
Work experience / previous jobs: St Macartans College, Monaghan. Ardee Community School, Co. Louth. Bush Post Primary School, Dundalk. I am currently on secondment to the Department of Education and Science as a development officer promoting the teaching of spoken Irish.
Campaigns you have been involved in: Anti Sellafield, Hospital Retention. Rural planning.
Hobbies: As much reading as possible.
Stance on:
Education; I dearly want a scheme where at least one subject is taught through the medium of Gaeilge to every child. There is no doubt that children will learn more Gaeilge here than in any formal lesson of Gaeilge. There are plenty of teachers out there with the ability and willingness to carry this out. The demand for smaller classes is based on the commitment to deliver better learning experiences for children. It is crucial that the courses being taught are made available to parents so children can be helped at home. In-servicing the teachers is one thing but parents need to know what is being taught and the methods of teaching.
Environment: There is a push on in Europe to build more Nuclear plants. A Nuclear Power plant takes at least 10 years to design, build and commission. Global warming is happening now. Wind farms at sea can be operational in 9 months. The carbon footprint of mining uranium and building a Nuclear Plant is more that Nuclear electricity saves. It is not an option. Fine Gael are members of the European People's Party, EPP. That party has a policy to build cheaper Nuclear plants. Do we need a Sellafield built with stud walls and Wavin pipes, manned by Homer Simpson's cousin?
Economy: Ireland East has had a stale team in Europe. Our unemployment is growing faster than any other constituency. Our MEPs have no ideas. Agriculture, construction, infrastructure, services and manufacturing all depend on each other. I will not treat one in isolation. I will be an MEP that covers all issues in joined up thinking.
Why should you become an MEP:
Because sameness is staleness. I am fresh, bursting with energy and willing to listen. I have proven this as a Councillor already. I want Ireland to be at the heart of Europe. I want Gaeilge to be at the tip of the European tongue. I want Irish produce to be in the belly of Europe. I want Rath Chairn in Co Meath to be a centre of excellence for language learning and teaching. We can train Gaeilgeoirí to be translators from and to other languages. We can train linguists from all across Europe to become Gaeilgeoirí. This is how we will understand each other and make a Europe that works
A Chairde
"Electing me as your MEP in Ireland East will bring energy, enthuasiasm and real representation.
I am a young energetic campaigner and want to work for you. Beidh mé ag obair duitse.
I want Sellafield closed - for once and for all.
I want to support small and medium businesses in Ireland.
As a múinteoir Gaeilge I want education placed at the heart of any economic recovery.
As a health campaigner I want all citizens to have proper public services that are protected.
Jobs should be retained and new ones created.
Workers should not have pay and conditions attacked.Caithfimid ár neodrachas a chaomhnú. Irish resources should not be spent on NATO projects. We must remain neutral.
I promise a listening ear, a real voice and action. Bí liom and elect me as your MEP".