Almost 1,000 delegates are expected at the Labour Party 2009 annual conference which will be held in the Mullingar Park Hotel on the last weekend in March.
The centrepiece of the conference will be Eamon Gilmore's televised address at 8.30pm on Saturday evening.
He will also give a shorter opening address at 7.15pm on Friday evening.
The economic situation and the banking crisis feature heavily on the agenda and will be debated on Saturday morning.
When elected leader in 2007, Eamon Gilmore emphasised the need to embark on a process of renewal and becoming more open to new members and new candidates; and to improve methods of communication.
A major step in this process will be taken when the conference debates on Saturday afternoon the report of the 21st century Labour commission and a new constitution based on the commission’s recommendation.
The motion proposing the adoption of the report and new constitution will be moved by Deputy Gilmore and seconded by the deputy leader, Joan Burton TD.
Given the imminence of the elections, European and local government issues also feature significantly on the agenda and will be debated on Sunday morning.
Also up for selection will be 15 positions on the national executive committee, to be chosen from 21 applicants.
The party president, Michael D Higgins, has been returned to that post unopposed as has the chairperson of the party, Brian O’Shea TD.
