Places at the first meeting of The Wheel, representing Ireland's community and voluntary sector, which takes place in Dublin on Saturday, are already booked out. A reserve list for similar meeting planned for outside Dublin is under way. The Wheel? It is a symbol. Each one of its "spokes" is intended to illustrate an element in the diversity of the community and voluntary sector in Ireland, with the hub the great energy that drives it.

It was established after many hours of conversation among those of us who have "turned" in the sector over recent years. On Saturday we hope to implement a mandate from over 50 people who, representing the sector, decided in Dublin last November to organise this first stage of what we hope will be a new journey.

The meeting will be about beginning a movement towards greater cohesiveness in the community and voluntary sector. A recent study found that 66 per cent of national bodies, organisations, and experts believed such a move towards a national umbrella body representing the sector would be beneficial. Among smaller community groups, the support was even greater, at 85 per cent.

The sector is something of a junior partner in the wider scheme of things. Working on its identity, enlarging its authority - including the visibility of its values - are critical in the search for better ways to respond to society's needs. But only the sector itself can bring such change.

According due recognition to this not-for-profit sector, maximising its efforts, ensuring its role is that of a "third way", is a priority in this globalised information age.

No decisions have been taken on the sector's future. Those decisions will be made at Saturday's meeting of The Wheel. There will be no steering committee putting forward a plan of action or seeking election to executive office, and there are no criteria for attending other than one's involvement or interest in the community and voluntary sector.

How things proceed on the day will be crucial. It is assumed that those who intend to take part regard the idea of a more cohesive community and voluntary sector as desirable in principle.

In practical terms, the meeting will take the form of 20 round tables of 10 people each. The decision to use round tables, at which everyone will break bread equally, was suggested to the meeting in November as the most sensitive and efficient way forward.

Everyone will have an opportunity to contribute to decisions. The ground rules will ensure everyone will contribute in a way which transcends details of their own group or interest.

Each table will be facilitated by a person trained over two days for the purpose. These facilitators will act as referees, but they will also be trained to produce outcomes. As a means of increasing capacity in the sector, many of the facilitators will also come from the community and voluntary sector.

The Wheel is spinning and gathering energy. It has received offers. The event is already over-subscribed. No money has been spent on advertising or public relations. Recently we wrote to advise organisations about the event, but by then we had already dealt with over 200 letters, faxes and telephone calls.

Personally, I cannot see a pyramid structure coming out of Saturday's meeting. Nor do I believe participants will want to be "the voice" of the sector. It is too early for that. We have not all been introduced.

Ireland's future health as a society depends on the role of the community and voluntary sector being accorded proper recognition and support, with a greater valuing of responsibility and connection.

Among the participants will be representatives of national, international, and European organisations, local, rural, and county organisations, (diverse) providers of personal services, individual supporters of the community and voluntary sector, organisations involved in the arts, in the Irish language, in education, training, and with emigrants, human rights, women's rights, children's rights, the family, volunteers, poverty, disability, and the environment. The list of participants expected is testimony to the richness and creativity of the community and voluntary sector in this State. I believe it will be an important meeting.

As many of the 200 people are coming from outside Dublin. The meeting, which begins at 10 a.m., will take place in the President's Hall, Blackhall Place. Dr Mary Redmond is founder and patron of the Irish Hospice Foundation. She is also a solicitor and company director. The Wheel can be contacted through 086-8429272.