I have a history of social activism. When I was attending Trinity College in Dublin I got involved in student politics. For four years I was on the Gradate Students’ Union, and for the last year I served as President. During that period I sat on numerous college committees, including TCD’s College Board – which was the ultimate decision-making body in the college. I learned a great deal during those years. I learned the nuances of negotiating within a structure where the majority of the decisions were quietly agreed upon by an elite group behind the scenes. I also learned the importance of solidarity. Even though people speak in patronising…