Profile: Mark McCormick – Green Party Candidate

Mark is finishing his third year of study at Queen’s University, Belfast, who is part of a new breed of hungry young politicians, is completing a Degree in Environmental Planning. With local planning powers soon to be returned to local councils, Mark’s knowledge in this specialist field of expertise which includes EU planning, NI policy and practice, and environmental matters, will be extremely useful in a Coucil facing may changes in its political and administrative landscape. [caption id="attachment_23037" align="alignleft" width="267" caption="Mark McCormick, Green Party candidate for the local council election for Ballynahinch, wants to promote the small rural villages and towns across the district and attract more investment to make them attractive and comfortable to live in."][/caption] He said, “I joined the Green Party at 17 following my concerns about pollution in our local rivers in Down District. Since then I have been one of the most active members locally and have played a pivotal role in the South Down Green Party. My record on local activism demonstrates the passion I have to stand up for our local communities and environment, and to prove that there is an alternative to the ‘business as usual’ approach of all other political parties in Down District Council.” Mark has worked on a number of local campaigns most recently in aiding the Down Community Health Committee in their campaign to retain local services at the Downe Hospital. Mark’s passion, energy and youth were a much welcomed and fresh element to the Health Committee showing that young people do have an interest in protecting vital health services in their local communities. He is also part of the team which runs and maintains the Downe Community Health Committee’s Facebook campaign page with over 2000 members. Mark is also founding the Down District Fairtrade Committee in which he managed several successful media campaigns and a number of Fairtrade events working towards promoting ethical purchasing and awareness in Down District towns and villages. “I have visited schools, community groups and youth groups giving talks about the merits of Fairtrade and its importance internationally and how it affects us locally. “On a Northern Ireland level, I have been active in the foundation and development of the Young Greens in Northern Ireland. I helped found the first ever ‘Young Greens’ branch at QUB, Belfast, and was chairperson of the society for two terms.” Mark was also the first ever Young Green from an Northern Ireland.branch to be elected to the All-Island Young Greens Executive as Campaigns Officer in 2009. “The Green Party in Europe is the second biggest in the EU parliament. Our politics in Northern Ireland are lagging behind this development. The Greens have therefore strong support in the EU institutions and should we need help and assistance on issues from water pollution to agriculture, there is an avenue there open for us. “Politics and the parties in Northern Ireland reflect our difficult historical past over several decades, but now we need to move on with a new vision of where our society wants to go, and leave the past behind us. A divided society cannot function effectively and we all end up paying the price for this whether we like it or not. People have an alternative. We are a party driven by environmental issues, but at the heart of what we do is addressing the needs of people in our comunities. That is what I have been doing and will continue to do. “While out canvassing for the election we are being well received at the doors and I believe there is a change in the air. People are moving away from the old model of politics to new ways of thinking and many are embracing the views of the Green Party. We are a party for all people and have policies for job creation, the economy, tourism, and of course environmental protection and many other isues. We are well prepared and determined to serve the people of Down District”. [caption id="attachment_23040" align="alignright" width="267" caption="Green Party council candidate for the Ballynahinch area, Mark McCormick, at the Loughinisland Churches."][/caption] Commenting on Mark’s candidacy for the Ballynahinch area, Green Party Councillor  Cadogan Enright said, “Mark represents a new breed of outstanding young people who are bringing new ideas to the Green Party and Politics generally. He combines an old-fashioned ability to campaign “on the ground” in places like Spa, Seaforde, Loughinisland and Ballynahinch with up-to-date ICT technology and social networking skills allowing people to work together over the internet on Facebook and Twitter etc. He is central to the team which makes our website www.southdowngreens.com the best of any political party in County Down.” Green Party Leader and North Down Assembly candidate Steven Agnew also said, “I first met Mark in 2007 and was immediately impressed by him. Even then he was passionate about Green values and combined this with hard work which included helping to set up and run the very successful Queen’s University Greens’ Society.  Mark used the opportunities that student life gave him to involve himself in both international and local campaigns.  He is a valuable asset to the Green Party and I have no doubt that if elected he would serve the people in the towns, villages and countryside of the Ballynahinch electoral area well.” Fuel  Poverty:  One Issue That Mark Is Fired Up ABout “The issue of fuel poverty in our local towns, villages and communities is one thing that drives me to seek change. “Almost 110,000 children live in relative poverty according to statistics from Save the Children, and half of Northern Ireland’s homes experiencing fuel poverty include children ‘No child should be brought up in cold, damp houses. It is extremely damaging to a child’s health, education and well-being. “If all of our elected representatives supported the Green Party’s plans for retrofitting older, draughty houses, no child would experience this terrible hardship. Thousands of jobs for people working in the construction sector that disappeared during the housing crash would also be created. “Before the next winter approaches and while we enjoy the current spell of good weather, I urge voters to think of the long term. I also urge other parties to sign up to our plans to insulate houses, encourage renewable energy projects and take fuel poverty seriously. Rising energy costs and fuel poverty will become a crisis if we don’t plan and act now,” added Mark McCormick Some other things about Mark You May Like To Know *  Mark, for a short period, lived in the Netherlands studying Geography, Planning and International Development at the University Van Amsterdam again adding to his knowledge in this vital area. *  In 2008, Mark hit national headlines for holding to account the then Environment Minister Sammy Wilson for his Pro-Nuclear aspirations for Northern Ireland. Mark was pictured and filmed by regional news channels debating with Sammy Wilson at Stormont. *  A keen animal rights activist, Mark was part of the policy team which developed the Green Party’s animal welfare policy in Northern Ireland. Mark is also a vegetarian. *  Local people will know Mark for playing the role of Mr Tumnus in the highly successful Santa in Narnia exhibition at the Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick last year! * In his spare time Mark is a keen musician having written, recorded and released his own original material which has been sold all over the UK, Ireland, Europe and the USA.]]>