Laura Harmon is a City Councillor with the Labour Party and she has also been a CEO in higher education for the last four years. She is on the board of Threshold, housing organisation. She started her political journey as a student in UCC and she went on to be president of the Union of Students in Ireland ten years ago. She led the Students for Marriage Equality campaign and in 2018 she was national head of voter mobilisation for the Together for Yes Campaign. Laura is 37 and she is the eldest of five girls - three of her younger sisters have emigrated. Laura wants to ensure a better future in Cork.
Why you decided to run for the GE?
“I’m in politics to make an impact and to work hard. Politics can change people’s lives and I believe that a better future is possible for the people of Cork South Central. We are told this is a wealthy country with big surpluses but we can’t see this in our public services and most families struggle with the cost of living. A whole generation has been locked out of home ownership and I meet so many grandparents who only see their grandchildren online because their own children couldn’t afford to build a life in Cork.” She told The Carrigdhoun. “Public transport in Cork isn’t working and, compared to many other European cities, we are so far behind. We need a new, strong voice for Cork South Central. I have the energy, focus and passion to be your TD and I will bring a new, fresh perspective to the Dáil.”
3 issues you are passionate about
Housing
“I’m a board member of Threshold and a long-time housing campaigner. Housing must be treated as the national emergency it is and you can count on me to be a strong voice in the Dáil on housing and tackling dereliction and vacant properties. I am worried that if my generation and younger can’t afford their own homes that we will have a whole generation of pensioners who will be renting – this is a ticking poverty-time-bomb that we must prevent.”
Public Transport and Infrastructure
“Cork needs a public transport system that is reliable. Buses must run on time and we need to ensure that we have enough bus drivers and buses to service all routes. In comparison to Dublin, Cork has been left behind in terms of public transport – we need to ensure that Cork gets our light rail system within the term of the next Government. In addition to this more central funding must be made available to Cork for road and footpath repairs.”
Childcare and Education
“Early years workers must be paid fairly so that we can keep these qualified people in childcare. We need to move towards a public model of childcare and drive down the costs further for families. Neurodiverse children must get the support they need in our education system and that means more investment and a focus on the needs of every child. We cannot afford to lose any more primary and secondary teachers and we must ensure better pay for teachers and a reduction in class sizes.”
Why should people vote for you?
“I have a long track record of working hard and delivering results as a campaigner. As a City Councillor, I have consistently raised housing, transport and infrastructure as key concerns for all of Cork. My commitment to the people of Cork South Central is hard work and to be a solutions-focused voice in the Dáil. I am in politics to make an impact, not to make noise. Labour has always been responsible with public finances and with the waste we often see of public money, I think it’s time we had a strong Labour TD in Cork South Central again. I would very much appreciate if the voters in the Carrigdhoun area and across all of Cork South Central would consider me for your #1 vote.”
You can contact Laura by email hello@lauraharmon.ie, Instagram and Tik Tok @lauraharmoncork, on Facebook Laura Harmon, on X @Harmonica26.
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