Delegates to miss out on FG leader's speech

MORE THAN half of Fine Gael delegates at the party’s “historic” ardfheis this weekend will not be allowed into the auditorium to hear the leader’s speech on Saturday night.

Between 4,000 and 5,000 party members are expected to attend the event in the Convention Centre in Dublin, but the auditorium in which Enda Kenny will speak has a capacity of 2,000, a Fine Gael spokesman said.

The agenda for the event was not ready for distribution last night, but will be released today. Motions relating to the economy and jobs include an appeal to the Government to make a “concerted effort” to reduce “red tape” on small businesses and to take steps to improve the flow of credit to business.

There is also a call for a “speedy roll-out” of measures to support existing entrepreneurs and inspire new ones. In a message to delegates, Mr Kenny described the event as “an historic occasion” because it marks the first ardfheis held by the party while in government for 16 years.

Mr Kenny also called the ardfheis “critically important”, and said it would provide an opportunity for all members of the party to shape policy “as we move together towards our goal of restoring economic sovereignty by creating a climate for growth”.

The ardfheis begins tomorrow night at 7.30pm with a short address from Mr Kenny, while live television coverage begins at 11am on Saturday morning.

Voting for the party’s executive council elections and policy workshops will take place on Saturday afternoon. The build-up to Mr Kenny’s televised address will begin at 7pm, with the Taoiseach due to speak at 8.30pm. Overflow rooms with large screens will be provided to allow delegates not admitted to the auditorium to watch Mr Kenny’s speech. There will be social events on both nights.

Mr Kenny told delegates the party’s “unprecedented success” in last year’s general election, “when the people made Fine Gael the biggest political party in the State”, was due to the hard work of its members. “Now, once again, our great national movement is tasked with steering Ireland through difficult times and rebuilding the economy. It is a challenge from which Fine Gael has not shirked.”

Mr Kenny said the ardfheis would mark an initial step in the party’s preparations for the 2014 local and European elections.

A new disciplinary committee is convened after each ardfheis. The membership of the committee is drawn from the members’ representatives on the party’s executive council and must contain at least one member from each European constituency. The committee will be tasked with considering planning tribunal findings relating to party personnel.