Local candidate outlines her agenda at Seanad hustings

SEANAD candidate Laoise de Brún says she “solidified her reputation as the sane voice for families and farmers” during the Trinity College Dublin Seanad hustings, held ahead of the Seanad Éireann elections this month.

The Co Carlow native was among 16 candidates, including two former ministers, at last week’s hustings, where they debated a range of topical issues from health to housing to climate.

Ms de Brún, a barrister and founder of the human rights and advocacy organisation The Countess, challenged the narrative around agriculture and climate change, stating: “Farmers should be supported to adopt regenerative farming practices, if possible, which enhance biodiversity and restore the soil biome.” She added that growing crops and rearing cattle are easy targets for environmentalists, when in fact we should be having a conversation about new industries.

“There is a terrifying carbon footprint from cryptocurrency and from data centres. We have to have a shift in consciousness away from a purely profit-driven agenda.” Ms de Brún also spoke about her work in protecting women and children.

“My work has really been about protecting the rights of women, families and child safeguarding – from a place of compassion. I successfully campaigned to stop the government from removing the word ‘woman’ from maternity legislation. I have drafted legislation that has been introduced in the Dáil – the only legislation of its kind in the world – to close the loophole whereby males who identify as women are placed in female prisons, as is the current policy in this country.” Ms de Brún stated it was important to examine the unintended consequences of what she called ideologically-driven laws such as the Gender Recognition Act.

In a tense exchange, Seanad candidate Sadhbh O’Neill accused de Brún of “treating all trans people as a menace”, which Ms de Brún refuted, stating: “We must have a conversation where both sides are heard, and one side is not shut down or labelled.” She added: “I cannot be anti-trans because, how then do I have a trans person working on my campaign team?” On the subject of puberty blockers, Ms de Brún stated they were banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and they should be banned here.

The Trinity College panel is open to all graduates of Trinity College Dublin who are registered on the electoral roll. Ballots for the Seanad election will close on 29 January.