such action was criticised by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who stated "I think no matter what political party you come from or what your political views, we should all be committed to democracy and freedom of speech and trying to shout other people down and trying to shut down their meetings is profoundly anti-democratic". The organisation responded that it had a right to challenge and question the government on policy issues. In a March 2020 interview, then CYM General Secretary Alex Homits stated "Socialism will not and cannot be delivered through the ballot box and the CYM and its membership will not lie about this or endorse those who do." Policies and Ideology The CYM is constitutionally a socialist-republican and Marxist-Leninist organisation. In July 2022 it published a new programme, Cause of Youth, Cause of Ireland. It also released a ten point programme expressing a commitment to Irish unity, civil rights, the revival of Irish culture, free education, action on climate change, promotion of the Irish language, free healthcare on an all-Ireland basis, a public housing programme, international solidarity, and "a comprehensive system of worker's rights". In 2020 the CYM's then General Secretary Alex Homits stated that "poverty and trafficking are the leading creators of sex workers." The CYM have offered solidarity to those engaged in sex work, and support for decriminalisation of the purchase of sex. Publications The CYM irregularly publishes a print magazine titled Forward, with online articles published under the same title. Affiliations World Federation of Democratic Youth, a left-wing anti imperialist youth organization Prominent past members of CYM Madge Davison Declan Bree – served as Chairperson of the CYM Brendan O'Carroll References External links Archive of Forward Issues All-Ireland political parties Communist parties in Ireland Communist parties in Northern Ireland All-Ireland organisations Irish republican organisations