MEP Cynthia preps students for EU schools debate contest

STUDENTS at Presentation de la Salle, Bagenalstown welcomed a timely insight into the EU, as they look forward to their own challenge of recreating the Council of the European Union.

MEP for Ireland South Cynthia Ní Mhurchú visited the school recently, where she met the school’s Junior EU ambassadors, who will shortly compete in the annual Model Council of the European Union debate for secondary schools. The Model Council is a simulation of a meeting of the Council of the European Union in Brussels. Presentation de la Salle will be representing Belgium and will debate the topic: ‘EU Digital Policy and Young People’.

Cynthia was able to give the teenagers some insight into the EU and share her experiences, which proved invaluable to the students.

Also during Cynthia's visit, the school arranged for second-year CSPE students to attend a full-year assembly in the hall to hear about Cynthia’s job and role as an MEP. This was followed by a Q&A session led by student council members, where students got an opportunity to find out more about Cynthia’s leadership role.

“It was excellent to get Cynthia’s insights and very helpful to the students,” said teacher Neasa Egan. “We are part of an EU programme here at the school and very much promote the work of the EU, so to be able to have an MEP here to talk to the students and answer their questions was great.”