Sinead Ellen Griffin claims to represent 'A Gen Locked Out'
Sinead Ellen Griffin is running for the Social Democrats in the upcoming local elections
Social Democrat candidate Sinéad Ellen Griffin is representing Waterford City South in the upcoming local elections and has her eyes set on being a voice for the ‘Generation Locked Out’.
Born and raised in Waterford, Sinéad was an active member of Waterford Youth Council for a number of years and represented the county as a member of Dáil Ná N’óg.
She subsequently made the move to Dublin, however, became “priced out” of the city and returned to her childhood home in Waterford where she has been living since.
She told the Waterford News & Star: “I made the decision that I would come back to Waterford thinking I could rent here, but I couldn’t find anywhere I could afford. My only option was to live at home. I’m so fortunate for that opportunity, but at the same time, I’m 34 in June, I feel very lost and I don’t know where to go. Living at home, I’ve had to put my own personal life on hold."
She said that the current housing crisis combined with a “failing mental health service” is exacting a heavy toll locally.
“You feel so abandoned and unimportant when you find yourself struggling to live independently and I think that can really destroy a person’s sense of self. On top of that, we have a very ineffective mental health system that is legitimately criminal, and I think the housing crisis is only going to exacerbate that issue."
Employed in the city centre, Sinead said she was additionally concerned about a rising rate of antisocial behavior which is impacting local businesses: "I don’t know anyone who is enamored with the current state of the city centre, and people should have a right to go into their place of work and feel safe."
Speaking on being a new voice to bring such issues to light, she said: “For me, the instigator to go for the local elections was proportional representation. As a democratic country, and as a democratic city, if we want to have change that will allow for growth, people need to be heard. Currently, in Waterford Council there is no one for my generation or younger. People are not being correctly represented, and they’re not being heard. I want people to know that they can really make a difference, and that starts locally."
