This Saturday, Simon Harris will undertake his inaugural role as the leader of Fine Gael in the daylong ardfheis being held at Galway University. He’s set to explain his primary goals and future strategies for the party which, in his words, aims to “renew, reset and reconnect” with its electorate.
An ardfheis, translated as a “high assembly”, signifies the most significant annual or biennial gathering in the diary of an Irish political party. It’s essentially an open conference for all party members, where they establish the party’s vision and priorities, and debate and vote on various issues. Alongside Fine Gael, other political parties such as Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Green Party and the Labour Party also conduct similar events, whether they are referred to as an ardfheis, national convention, or conference.
Non-members may wonder about the relevance of an ardfheis to them. Ahead of local and European elections, an ardfheis serves as a platform for voters to gain deeper understanding of a political party’s prospective strategies. This weekend, as the incoming taoiseach, Mr Harris will address two sets of audience – his own party members, as well as prospective voters.
An ardfheis is deemed crucial for political parties as it provides an opportunity for party-wide convocations and decision-making. This assembly facilitates member discussions on the party’s future direction and policies. It also presents the party leader with the chance to publicly present the party’s vision – typically conveyed via a televised speech for larger parties.
In an ardfheis, besides the establishment of the party’s pathway, several motions are discussed and voted upon. These motions, put forth by local branches, constituency executives or councillors, usually urge the party to act on particular concerns. For instance, in the upcoming ardfheis of Fine Gael on Saturday, they are scheduled to debate more than 160 motions. Among them are demands to implement a middle-income tax rate of 30 per cent, supply lethal military resources to Ukraine, enhance childcare funding, and give prominence to constructing starter homes at affordable prices. If approved, these motions could potentially influence future policy decisions or party manifestos, albeit the protocol varies slightly among different political parties.
The impending general election stands as an unavoidable topic for all political factions, including Fine Gael. It is common for ministers, TDs, and senators to participate in broad discourse and debates around key issues such as commerce, agriculture and housing – subjects that are included within these motions. Additionally, elections take place for a party’s national executive committee, known as the árd comhairle in the case of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. The committee serves as the party’s administrative body, responsible for decision-making pertaining to organisational matters.