PDs cancel conference entertainment as mark of respect

THE Progressive Democrats have cancelled all entertainment on the opening night of their annual conference in Cork this weekend as a mark of respect to the late Pope John Paul II.

Tánaiste Mary Harney, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese will attend the Pope’s funeral in Rome on Friday morning.

But Ms Harney will return to Ireland on Friday evening for the opening of the Progressive Democrats 20th annual conference in the Silver Springs Hotel.

Traditionally, the opening night of the PD conference consists of a leader’s dinner, a speech by Ms Harney and entertainment, which was to be provided this year by the Cork Pops Orchestra.

But as a tribute to the Pope, an ecumenical service will be held at 8pm before the leader’s dinner and all entertainment has been cancelled. Instead of making a political speech, the Tánaiste will pay tribute to the Pope.

‘Honest politics: Real results’ is the theme of this year’s Progressive Democrats annual conference and it will be dominated by key issues of health, criminality, childcare and transport.

This will be Tánaiste Mary Harney’s first annual conference as a Health Minister and no doubt the major challenges still facing her in that department will form a major part of her keynote address on Saturday night, which will be broadcast live on RTÉ. Junior Health Minister Tim O’Malley will speak on the reform of health services and Justice Minister Michael McDowell will address defeating criminality.