Ard Fheis RDS Ballsbridge Friday, 28 FEBRUARY and Saturday, 1 March, 2014
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77 TH Ard Fheis RDS BALLSBRIDGE FRIDAY, 28 FEBRUARY AND SATURDAY, 1 MARCH, 2014 For the latest details on Fine Gael, our policies, and our people, join us at www.finegael.ie, on Facebook or on Twitter at @FineGael Printed and published by Fine Gael, 51 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2. finegael.ie Ph: 01- 6198444, Email: [email protected], Web: www.finegael.ie #fgaf14 Loc8 Code NN5-95-LB7 CAR PARK CAR SIMMONSCOURT RD SIMMONSCOURT PUBLIC NOTICES: Lift / Elevator Male Toilets MINERVA SUITE Female Toilets MERRION Baby Changing ROOM 1st FLOOR Disabled Toilets ATM CONCERT CLOAK ROOM HALL CLOAK Refreshments ROOM Dining MAIN HALL FEMALE SHELBOURNE HALL GENTS EXHIBITION STANDS AND CLYDE CATERING ROOM EXIT SMOKING AREA EXIT EXIT INDUSTRIES HALL CRÈCHE VOTING/COUNT RDS FLOOR PLAN CONTENTS 2 Information North West 11 Candidates 3 What’s Happening South 14 Candidates Message from the 4 General Secretary Parliamentary Party 16 Candidates Message from 5 An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD Council of Local Public 17 Representatives Candidates Executive Council 6 Nominations 2014 18 Accounts Vice Presidential 7 Candidates Motions for 23 Debate 8 Dublin Candidates Dates for 31 your Diary 10 East Candidates As well as your accreditation, please remember to bring your 2013/14 Fine Gael/YFG membership card and photo i.d. to the Ard Fheis. ARD FHEIS 2014 // 1 INFORMATION REGISTRATION & PRE-REGISTRATION SHUTTLE BUS Don’t worry if you haven’t pre-registered for the Ard Fheis. A shuttle bus will run from the Simmonscourt Car Park, You can still register, but please be aware that you cannot stopping at Bewley’s Hotel and onwards to the Ard Fheis, register at the RDS. on Friday between 5.00pm and 8.00pm and on Saturday between 9.00am and 6.00pm. If you have not pre-registered do not attempt to gain access to the RDS as a security cordon will be in place. ELECTIONS & VOTING Registration will take place at the nearby Bewley’s Hotel, Voting will take place in the Industries Hall between 1-4pm. Ballsbridge, in the Thomas Prior Hall, from 5.00pm-8.00pm To vote, members must produce a valid Membership on Friday and 9.00am-6.00pm on Saturday. Card (2013/14) and Delegate Card and may be asked to Delegates will be required to produce their membership produce other means of i.d. Voting is open to all public card and photo i.d. Travelling companions will have to be representatives, members of Executive Council, Constituency vouched for by a member. and District Officers and five-delegates-per-Branch. COLLECTION OF ACCREDITATION EXHIBITION AREA Delegates who have registered but have not received their The main hall will be include an exhibition area. Good Food accreditation can collect it at Bewley’s Hotel, Ballsbridge, in Ireland will be hosting a stand with over 20 indigenous the Thomas Prior Hall, from 5.00pm-8.00pm on Friday and businesses from around Ireland. The area will also host a range 9.00am-6.00pm on Saturday. of NGOs. CAR PARKING CRÈCHE Public car parking is available at the Simmonscourt Car A free crèche, with qualified staff, will be available from Park on Simmonnscourt Road. 11.00am to 10.00pm on Saturday. Please phone Olivia at Fine Gael National Office at 01 619 8444 to make a reservation. The following parking rate applies - Daily parking: €6.00 per-day, subject to availability. Cars left overnight are at owner’s risk. ACCOMMODATION 1. DOUBLE TREE HILTON HOTEL Double €109.00 B+B pn 6. HERBERT PARK HOTEL DUBLIN Phone: 01 238 2700 (Quote Ref: 315041) Ballsbridge, D4 E-mail: [email protected] € (formerly Burlington Hotel) Uppr Leeson St, D4 Standard Room 115.00 pn Breakfast € Single €105.00 B+B pn, 15.00 pp Double €115.00 B+B pn 4. MESPIL HOTEL (has to be booked in advance) Phone: 01 618 5600 Mespil Rd, D4 Phone: 01 667 2200 E-mail: doubletree3.hilton.com Single 2 nights €208.00 B+B, E-mail: [email protected] Double 2 nights €232.00 B+B 2. Bewley’s HoTEL BALLSBRIDGE Phone: 01 488 4600 7. SANDYMOUNT HOTEL Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, D4 E-mail: [email protected] (formerly Mount Herbert Hotel) Herbert Rd, Standard Room €106.00 pn, Lansdowne Rd, D4 € Breakfast €12.00 pp 5. BALLSBRIDGE HOTEL Standard Room 99.00 pn, € Please quote: Fine280214 when booking (formerly Jury’s Hotel) Breakfast 10.00 pp Phone: 01 668 1111 Pembroke Rd, Ballsbridge, D4 Phone: 01 614 2000 € € E-mail: [email protected] Single 80.00 pn, Double 90.00 pn E-mail: [email protected] Quote ref no 318171 to avail of special rate. 3. CLYDE COURT HOTEL Link to Ard Fheis booking: (formerly Berkley Court Hotel) 4 Landsdowne Road, D4 http://fe.avvio.com/convert/site/ Single €99.00 B+B pn, Ballsbridge%20Hotel/en/rate/30009.html 2 // ARD FHEIS 2014 WHAT’s HAPPENING Friday FEBRUARY 28: 4.30pm-6.00pm: Driving Recovery in Europe SHELBOURNE HALL Minister Paschal Donohoe TD 7.00pm: Opening Ceremony followed by Taoiseach’s address MERRION ROOM 2.30pm-4.00pm: Cross Border Co-operation on Jobs 8.00pm: Towards Universal Health Insurance Minister Richard Bruton TD Minister James Reilly TD Minister Dinny McGinley TD 9.30pm: Ard Fheis Social Minister Fergus O’Dowd TD Minister John Perry TD SATURDAY MARCH 1 Dr Alasdair McDonnell, MP, MLA SHELBOURNE HALL 4.15pm-5.45pm: Investing in our Future, 9.30am-10.30am: Constitution and Rules/Party Commemorating our Heritage Organisation Minister Jimmy Deenihan TD Minister Leo Varadkar TD 10.45am-1.15pm: Our Plan for Jobs and Minister Dinny McGinley TD Growth (Live TV) Minister Fergus O’Dowd TD Minister Richard Bruton TD Minister Michael Ring TD Minister Simon Coveney TD Minister Michael Noonan TD SHELBOURNE HALL Minister Brian Hayes TD 6.30pm: Auditorium re-opens for Minister John Perry TD Taoiseach’s Address 1.30pm-3.00pm: New approaches to Farming and 7.00pm: Warm-up begins Rural Development Minister Simon Coveney TD 7.30pm: Warm-up speeches Minister Tom Hayes TD 8.30pm: Taoiseach’s Address (Live TV) CONCERT HALL 1.00pm-2.30pm: Local Government Reform in BEWley’S HOTEL, THOMAS PRIOR HALL the 21st Century 10.30pm-1.30am: Social Minister Phil Hogan TD PARALLEL MEETINGS – Saturday MARCH 1 2.45pm-4.15pm: Transparency, Accountability, Justice Minister Alan Shatter TD CONCERT HALL Minister Paul Kehoe TD 4.30pm-6.00pm: Councillors and Candidates MINERVA SUITE MINERVA SUITE 2.45pm-4.15pm: Pressures on Young 1.00pm-2.30pm: Shaping our Children’s Future People in Ireland Minister Frances Fitzgerald TD Young Fine Gael session Minister Ciarán Cannon TD ARD FHEIS 2014 // 3 MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY A very warm welcome to our 77th Ard Fheis, our first at the RDS since 2001. Thanks to the hard work of the Irish people and strong leadership by our Government, Ireland’s economic outlook continues to improve. Hence, we can all be proud that Fine Gael has a superbly positive message of job creation and economic recovery to sell during the course of the European and Local Election campaigns. It is a message we must communicate strongly. It is vital to Ireland’s continued growth and development that Fine Gael remains the largest Irish party in the European Parliament and in Local Government. Victory will send out a strong signal that we are moving Ireland in the right direction. We begin these campaigns with a strong slate of candidates, recognising that these elections are important for the future of our Country and our Party. Good Local government makes a real difference to people’s lives. Strong, principled leadership in Europe enhances our international representation. Please do all you can for the Fine Gael candidates in your area. Elsewhere in the Clár you will see details of the Party’s financial accounts for 2012. Please study this Clár and familiarise yourself with the weekend’s events. I hope you have a constructive and enjoyable Ard Fheis. Remember, your continued support allows our Government to implement its ambitious programme to restore Ireland’s economy and our international standing. On your behalf, I thank the members of the Ard Fheis Steering Committee and all those who have helped plan this great gathering. Best regards, TOM CURRAN GENERAL SECRETARY 4 // ARD FHEIS 2014 MESSAGE FROM AN TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY TD Welcome to the 77th Fine Gael Ard Fheis, an opportunity to reflect and plan ahead. We have much to consider. Following the successful exit of Ireland from the bailout programme, there is renewed optimism and confidence in our country. I am glad to state that with every day that passes, Ireland is increasing its attractiveness as a place in which to do business. While unemployment is still too high, jobs are being created and our international image is substantially improved. We have a clear plan to build on the recent achievements of the Irish people. There will be no let-up in the efforts of the Government. Fine Gael, with our Labour Party partners, remains committed to working unrelentingly to achieve full economic recovery. Please remember these key messages when campaigning in the forthcoming European and Local Elections. I am very glad to see that a wide range of motions have been submitted by the Party organisation for debate. Please take an active part in these debates, and also enjoy the social aspect of this great gathering of our wonderful national movement. I sincerely hope that your weekend is productive and enjoyable and I send my best wishes to candidates contesting elections to the various positions on the Executive Council.