Party Ard Fheis/Conference season will soon be upon us.  Motions are being submitted and will soon be amended, composited and ruled out of order before reaching the final agenda. And some are arriving into the hen house.  (All chicken feed is greatfully received to tips(@)mamanpoulet.com).

First up is the Labour Party preliminary agenda.  Here you can see what party branches around the country have on their minds.  At first glance there is plenty of criticism of government policy involving cuts to Lone Parents, CE schemes and the lack of equality focussed policies.

But the first thing to catch my eye.

Conference calls on the Irish Government to re-open the Vatican Embassy in recognition that Ireland as a small open economy can benefit greatly from engaging at this international crossroads on a range of global, social political and international issues of interest to Ireland, and furthermore, in recognition of the great affinity that so many Irish people have with their Catholic Religion and its central role in their lives.

Tuam Bobby Burke Branch, Galway East

I’d say that’ll get amendments proposed.  Maybe from the secularists in Dublin North Central.