East Belfast Speaks Out!

Update: 22nd November.

“Given the increasing support for industrial action (such as the NASUWT vote last Friday), we thought it wise to seek advice about the potential difficulties involved in going forward with our debate event on 30th November, the day of the proposed strike.

Unfortunately that advice has led us to the very disappointing conclusion that it would probably be best for all concerned if we were to cancel the event for next Wednesday and seek to re-schedule it for some time early in the new year. This is now our intention.

We hope you will do everything you can to let others know that the event East Belfast Speaks Out will now not take place as originally planned, since we really don’t want people to show up and be disappointed on the night. Needless to say, as organisers we greatly regret the need for postponement.”

The “East Belfast Speaks Out” event is taking place on Wednesday November 30th in Ashfield Boys High School.

It is now in its third year and takes the form of a “Town Hall” style meeting between the people of East Belfast and their elected representatives. A panel chaired by Mark Devenport of the BBC has been invited to tackle questions from the audience. The choice of panellists was dictated by the wish for real dialogue between members of the public and those responsible for pursuing the interests of East Belfast as well as the wider community. The panel members are:

John O’Dowd MLA (SF) Minister of Education
Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP)
Judith Cochrane MLA (Alliance Party)
Frankie Gallagher (UPRG)
John Kyle (PUP) Belfast City Councillor

Questions to the panel will commence at 7.30 pm.
Doors open 7 p.m. Admission is free. Seats are limited.
They are keen to get as many people from both inside and outside the constituency to come along and to pose their questions directly to those who represent them.