Former EU president Pat Cox will address next week’s extraordinary group meeting of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, which will be held in Galway.
ALDE is a coalition of centrist and liberal MEPs and is the current liberal/centrist political group of the European Parliament. It is made up of MEPs from the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party, which collectively form the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
The meeting will take place in the Hotel Meyrick, Eyre Square, on Monday and Tuesday and will see some 50 to 60 ALDE members from across Europe attend. They will also undertake study visits of volunteering organisations.
Independent Cllr Declan McDonnell, a member of ALDE through his place on the West Regional Authority of the Committee of The Regions, believes the event will be good for Galway and a chance for the city to “show itself off” to other EU members.
The main business starts on Monday with a debate at 11am, entitled How the EU can help resolve the economic crisis. The introduction will be given by Cllr McDonnell and Liverpool councillor Flo Clucas. The main speakers will be former EU president Pat Cox and Independent MEP Marian Harkin.
The public is invited to attend this debate and registration takes place from 10am to 11am.
At 2.25pm, Donncha Foley, development manager of the Galway Volunteer Centre will make a presentation to ALDE members. At 4pm, Brendan Holland, chairman of the GLUAS group, will make a presentation on the proposals for the GLUAS light rail system for Galway.
