Somebody has to rule the world, why not you? This was the message delivered by Independent MEP Marian Harkin to a group of young people from all over Connacht and Ulster who attended a European Youth Parliament event in Castlebar, Co. Mayo on Saturday, November 21st

<sub>She said:- "Politics is about how we live our lives so, at some level, everybody should have an ongoing interest. However young people often look at politics and think - this could never be me.  You need money, you need connections, you need to be some kind of special person to be a politician. The truth is politicians are not special people, they are ordinary people who do a special job. Any one of you who has the belief, the vision, the determination and the energy can be involved in politics.

My advice is "if you wish to change the way things are done, if you wish to influence  what happens, if you believe you can make a contribution then think of becoming involved in politics - don't leave it to somebody else”, Marian Harkin concluded.</sub>