5 February 2004 Edition

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Cúige to debate building the party

Cuige na Sé Condae, which is holding its AGM in Conway Mill in Belfast this coming weekend, will have party building as its main theme.

And with this week's review of the Good Friday Agreement dominating the political landscape, the AGM will be addressed by Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, who will update activists on progress.

Speaking to An Phoblacht, Declan Kearney, chair of the Cúige, explained that the incoming Cuige will take the themes raised in Saturday's discussions forward into a programme of work for the coming year.

North Belfast Councillor Eoin Ó Broin will also address the party's work in building its All-Ireland Strategy.

"The party must address the major question of electoral intervention as a main site of struggle for republicans and we have to ask what dangers come with electoral intervention," said Kearney. "Issues dealing with party structures and organisation and recruitment will also be part of the discussion and one point that comes up time and time again is what do we do with people coming into the party and how best to use them."

Kearney added that a key point of the debate would be the focus on women and young people and the need to open up the party and empower both young people and women within it as a way of encouraging others to join.

"We want the afternoon part of the AGM, which will be chaired by Bairbre de Brún, to discuss the issues raised and take on board the need to take the issues back to their areas as part of a local programme of work," he said.


An Phoblacht
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Dublin 1
Ireland