Health and crime to occupy minds at Labour conference

The Labour Party’s national conference this weekend will focus on finding solutions to voter gripes on health, crime and traffic.

Up to 1,000 delegates will attend debates and workshops hosted by the party’s 21 TDs and five Senators as well as dozens of General Election candidates.

Labour has published about 50 policy documents in recent months and will today unveil the final two of its five Commitments for Change.

Frontbench spokesman Eamon Gilmore said: “It will be the first party conference of the pre-General Election season so voters will be susceptible to new ideas. They may well be suffering from conference fatigue by the time of Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in two months’ time.

He added: “People want solutions to problems in society – if they are stuck in traffic, if they can’t get a garda when they want one, if they have trouble getting a bed in our health service.”

Mr Gilmore also chairs the party’s policy committee which has been drawing heavily on ideas from new General Election candidates.

Several representatives like Phil Prendergast of Tipperary South and Dominic Hannigan of Meath East are playing a prominent part in the conference’s debates at the Helix, Dublin.

“A lot of ideas have flowed from candidates who have encountered them on the ground in their constituencies,” he added.

Mr Rabbitte is expected to use his televised keynote address to focus on specific areas of policy that the party can change.

The theme of the conference is ’Ireland can do better with Labour'.

TV environmentalist Duncan Stewart will speak on climate change later today. The party is to publish a major policy blueprint on the issue soon.

Northern Ireland Policing Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan has cancelled an appearance in a workshop on policing in a changing Ireland.

However she has sent a senior representative from her office. Garda Ombudsman Commission member Conor Brady and SDLP policing spokesman Alex Attwood will also speak on the issue.

Policy workshops will focus on trafficking of women and equality while international debates will include presentations on Venezuela and on the European Union.