Labour Youth to host debate on Student Movement

Issued : Friday 22 February, 2008

Labour Youth is hosting a debate on the way forward for the Student Movement as part of:

2008 Connolly Festival,
Friday February 22nd and Saturday February 23rd
Liberty Hall, Dublin

Speakers include the President of USI, the President of the UCD Students Union and the President of the Union of Secondary Students. The 2008 Connolly Festival begins tonight at 7pm in Liberty Hall with a debate on Will a Democrat in the Whitehouse bring peace? The Connolly Festival is an annual event in memory of James Connolly and is open to the public.

Speaking ahead of the debate Enda Duffy Labour Youth Chair and student activist said: "The Student movement has played a vital role in Irish society. The student movement campaigned successfully for measures to increase access to education including the abolition of tuition fees. There are now more people accessing third level education in Ireland than ever before. The student movement has also played a very positive role in the fight for equality campaigning successfully for the introduction of abortion information, contraception and equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Now is an opportune time for activists from the student movement to reflect on the successes of the student movement and discuss the way forward.

"I am particularly proud that the 2008 Connolly Festival is taking place in Liberty Hall - an historic site at the heart of James Connolly's struggle for a better Ireland"

ENDS

CONNOLLY FESTIVAL 2008

Liberty Hall
Friday February 22nd and Saturday February 23rd

FRIDAY
7 - 9 pm
Will a Democrat in the White House bring peace?
- Kate Fitzgerald, Chair of Democrats Abroad Ireland
- Mary Van Lieshout, US Citizens Against the War
- Ruairi Quinn T.D. Labour

SATURDAY
11am - 1pm
The Shock Doctrine - What's the alternative to privatisation and disaster capitalism?
- Mary Murphy, Labour National Executive Member
- Kieran Allen, Author of the Corporate Takeover of Ireland
- Mick O Reilly, UNITE

2- 4 pm
Is Venezuela a model for change?

- Maggie Ronayne, Global Women's Strike
- Speaker from Hands Off Venezuela
- Patrick Nulty, Labour Youth

4 - 6 pm
Which way forward for the Student Movement?
- Barry McColgan, National Organiser, Ógra Shinn Féin,
- Representative from the Young Greens
- Enda Duffy, Labour Youth Chair
- Barry Colfer, UCD Student Union President
- Hamidreza Khodabakhshi, USI President
- Síobhra Aiken, President Union of Secondary Students