Students from four post-primary schools visited Stormont
LAST week, students from four local post-primary schools, Mount Lourdes Grammar School, Collegiate Grammar School, St Fanchea’s College and the Erne Integrated visited Stormont where they were chaperoned, in turn, by MLAs and got a wee glimpse into how, ‘The Folks on the Hill’ run the place.
One young visitor said the group got an opportunity to grill local politicians on a number of relevant issues particularly beneficial to the group as politics students.
She said topics such as fracking, the pending G8 Summit and educational reform provided ample opportunities for challenging questions and debate.
“Representatives from most political parties made a real effort to engage us as first time voters, providing us with different policy perspectives and, of course, the hard sell! We are after all a valuable future electoral base.”
The undoubted highlight of their day was a visit to the Senate Chamber where a Joint Agriculture and Health Committee was in full swing.
The group found the investigation into the recent horsemeat scandal ‘gripping and enlightening’.
“It showed us the significant work that our MLAs are involved in on a daily basis”, our young visitor added.
“And, having popped in to the public gallery for the debate on the Budget Bill earlier in the day, which was a tad more on the mundane side, it was fitting that our visit ended with such a positive insight into workings of our devolved Assembly.”
And, the parting shot from the girls?
“We will definitely be back.
“A First Minister from Fermanagh South Tyrone, certainly has a nice ring to it!”
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