Tullamore student named Leinster Winner of Oireachtas Essay Competition

Sacred Heart School Tullamore student Chrissie Plunkett has been named Leinster Winner of the 2026 Oireachtas Essay Competition.

The Oireachtas Essay Competition (Aiste an Oireachtais) is now in its fourth year, receiving over 1,000 submissions for this year's competiton.

The theme for this year's competition being 'Is AI a threat to Democracy?'.

The awards ceremony took place in Leinster House on Friday, May 8, and saw the fifth year student awarded €250, as well as an additional €250 for her school.

There is increasing concern about the future impact of Artificial Intelligence on our society, on relationships between people and on human nature itself.

A statement on the Oireachtas website read: "There are many questions, and perhaps the answers won’t be known for some time. An issue that needs careful consideration is how AI will impact on the flow of information across society and on decision-making within democracies.Current decision-makers and future leaders need to be alert to both the opportunities and the challenges.

"This competition is an opportunity for you to reflect on the importance of democracy to society, to consider how parliamentary life can be a force for good or otherwise, and to think about your own role in the decision-making structures that shape the world around us."

Senior Cycle students (TY, 5th Year and 6th Year for Leaving Cert), as well as AS and A level students across the island of Ireland had the opportunity to submit essays on this theme.

The competition was supported by PTSB, CJ Fallon, Mason Hayes and Curran, ESB and An Post.