Laplaud is a socialist and political activist who recently graduated from Trinity College Dublin. Her priorities are standing up for working people - particularly in rural areas - on issues like housing, the cost of living, and the climate crisis.

I have been an active campaigner on a broad range of issues including housing, the environment, LGBTQ+ rights, and Palestine over the past few years and have a deep understanding of these issues. Personally, I have also directly struggled with housing insecurity and long healthcare waiting lists under this government. It is clear to me that the underlying issues in all these areas boil down to a political and economic system that values private profits over people’s wellbeing and rights. However, we don’t need to accept this situation and I want to be able to offer a voice that stands for working people and offers a meaningful and hopeful alternative to the same old governance of Fianna and Fine Gael.

The housing crisis that successive governments have left to grow out of control. People have been facing sky high rents, substandard accommodation, and the constant threat of homelessness while private landlords and vulture funds have made a killing from this crisis. We need a state construction company financed by the revenue from Apple to facilitate an expansion of house building and the retrofitting of vacant homes to ensure that nobody in this country should be without a home.

The dreadful destruction of our waterways and natural environment across West Cork. We have seen corporate polluters allowed to run rampant with little attention being paid by our government to the issue. We’ve especially seen this in rivers such as the Bandon River and the Argideen where despite incredible efforts by local campaigners, no actions have been taken by the national government. We need current rules to be enforced against large polluters, while better structures are created to help small and sustainable farmers. We also need proper investment in wastewater treatment systems that have so often posed issues for the environment and local development.