Sinn Féin hosts United Left MEPs

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD with Francis Wurtz, President of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group of MEPs

Sinn Féin this week played host to 33 Members of the European Parliament and their staff in both Dublin and Belfast. The MEPs are members of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, the fourth largest grouping in the European Parliament. They were in Ireland for a working meeting and used the opportunity to meet with and engage in dialogue with Sinn Féin on European and Irish issues.

Speaking at a reception in Buswell's Hotel on Tuesday evening organised by Sinn Féin and attended by the party's five TDs and their staff, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, welcomed the delegation to Ireland. He said that the dialogue provided the "opportunity to address issues here in Ireland, the European and wider international issues which concern us all".

Addressing the MEPs, led by their President Francis Wurtz, Ó Caoláin said: "Like you we believe another Europe is possible and we hope to bring our agenda of change to the European Parliament as we have brought to the Irish parliament."

To emphasise these themes of poverty, inequality and injustice, Ó Caoláin introduced a number of guest speakers to the MEPs from a range of NGOs involved in the various sectors. Hans Zomer, the Director of Dóchas, addressed the issue of Human Security, Brian Carthy of the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland spoke on the issue of poverty, while Jim Loughran of Amnesty International and Caoimhe de Barra from Trócaire talked about Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals Campaign, respectively.

The group travelled to Belfast on Wednesday where they met representatives of all the main political parties, including Sinn Féin at City Hall. During their visit they also met with a number of community and voluntary groups at the Cultúrlann on the Falls Road before travelling to North Belfast, where they were greeted by Gerry Kelly MLA and Kathy Stanton MLA at the Ardoyne Fleadh office.