GUE/NGL MEPs will take part in two days of debates and talks at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin as part of the Group's study days in Ireland.

At 3pm this afternoon GUE/NGL MEP Mikael Gustafsson, Chair of the European Parliament's Women's Rights and Gender Equality committee will moderate a seminar on 'Abortion Rights in Ireland', with guest contributions from Sinéad Redmond (Abortion Rights Campaign), Jacqueline Healy (National Women's Council), and Niall Behan (Irish Family Planning Association). There will also be a political tour of Dublin and a talk and Q&A on the 1913 lockout by historian Donal Fallon, chaired by GUE/NGL MEP Inês Zuber.

On Thursday at 9am GUE/NGL MEP Paul Murphy will chair discussions on 'Austerity and the Fightback' with guest speakers Jimmy Kelly (UNITE Regional Secretary), Rita Fagan (Spectacle of Defiance), Peadar Toibín TD (Save Navan Hospital Campaign), Matthew Waine (Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes), and Michael McCabe (Campaign for Independent Living).

At 3pm on Thursday GUE/NGL MEPs Thomas Händel and Kartika Liotard will chair a talk on 'Economic alternatives and challenges for the Left' with guest speakers Michael Burke (Socialist Economic Bulletin), Dr. Sheila Killian (University of Limerick), Stavros Evagorou (AKEL), Jarmo Linden (Finnish Left Party), and Niels Jongerius (Dutch Socialist Party).

The European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) is a European Parliamentary Group made-up of 34 Members hailing from 12 countries and 17 political parties. Another Europe is possible.

Study days are held biannually in different regions by each European Parliamentary Group. It is a chance for MEPs to meet with local activists, experts, and national parties.

Press contact in Ireland:
Emily Macintosh
[email protected]  
Tel: 0032 470 850 508