THE first meeting of the Irish Senior Citizens' National Parliament will be opened tomorrow by the President, Mrs Robinson. The parliament will be attended by delegates from 100 organisations representing more than 500 000 people.
The establishment of the parliament mirrors recent developments in other EU states. The initiative to set it up was taken by the retired workers' committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Several individual unions also played key roles. Its public relations officer, Mr Jim Eadie, is a former senior official of the National Union of Journalists.
He says the parliament, in the Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolt on Street, will enable "the senior citizens of Ireland to begin flexing their collective muscle to ensure their interests are represented at all levels".
Among the parliament's campaigning priorities are protecting the income levels of senior citizens, improving social and health services, tax reform and providing older people with "security in the home and safety on the streets. He expected it to have "clout".
Port should note a number of restrictions on the quays: North Wall Quay is reduced to one lane only because of road improvement works, a contraflow system is in operation on Custom House Quay and footpath work continues on the north and south quays.
Northbound traffic may be restricted by the closure of the Naul Balbriggan road. Alternative routes are via Mays Road, Walshetown Road, Balrickard Road, Bog Road, Knock Road and Drogheda Road. In Dundalk there is major traffic disruption at peak times because of the closure of Railway Bridge on Carrick Road. Local diversions are in operation.