IRELAND: EU employment and social policy ministers may not be too familiar with the craft of currach-building, but protesters at today's informal council in Galway aim to educate them of its merits, writes Lorna Siggins, in Galway
The future of Connemara's currach fishermen, the fate of Eyre Square's trees and the more global issues of war, racism and privatisation will be the focus of demonstrations to mark Ireland's first council meeting under the EU presidency.
Gardaí have warned that security will be "tight" around the Corrib Great Southern Hotel where over 30 European employment and social ministers are due to convene.
Plans to cull Eyre Square's trees as part of a €2.5 million redevelopment plan have been put on hold until the council is over. However, the Galway Environmental Alliance aims to highlight its concerns over the plan at a demonstration outside the hotel this morning.
A currach is due to be carried to the hotel later this morning by representatives of some 60 inshore fishermen in Connemara.Under EU fish-conservation regulations, grant aid approved by Údarás na Gaeltachta to maintain the tradition of currach-building can no longer be given. "Bureaucracy gone mad" is how Connacht-Ulster MEP Mr Sean Ó Neachtain has described the development.
And as council ministers converge on Galway city centre for a banquet in the Radisson hotel this evening, an alliance of anti-war protesters, trade unionists and human rights activists will hold a march from Eyre Square under the banner, "Another Europe is possible".
Today's council involves a "major logistical operation" at the Corrib Great Southern Hotel, put together by the Office of Public Works and Eircom. The facilities include a suite of offices for 29 national delegations. These are the 15 EU member-states, the 10 accession states, the three applicant states of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, and Norway as as member of the European Economic Area.
All of the facilities provided in Galway, including furnishings for the council meeting , will be transported back to Dublin this weekend in six 40-ft containers and 15 other vehicles.