Hundreds across the island entered this year's competition.
A midlands student is one of five winners in the country of the 2nd Annual Oireachtas Essay Competition.
Karo Bekker of St Brendan’s Community School, Cappaneale, Birr, will receive prizemoney of €6,000.
Hundreds of senior students and AS/A Level students across the island of Ireland registered this year.
Pupils were invited to write essays on the theme ‘Parliamentary Politics Matters for Peace’ and the best entries were determined by an expert panel of judges.
Winners from Offaly, Belfast, Dublin, Galway and Cork will attend the Award Ceremony with their parents and teachers this afternoon in Leinster House.
Presenting the prizes, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said that greater engagement by young people with the political system was “vital for the health of our democracy and for our ability to overcome the many challenges we face at home and abroad.”
“We are delighted with the growing support for the Oireachtas Essay Competition – reflected in a large increase this year in both the number of entries received and the number of schools from which they came,” says Senator Rónán Mullen, Competition Convenor. “There is a widespread appreciation in schools of the value of getting students to think about our democracy and the need to work it for the common good.”
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