Team 2004 Face First Test...

February 13th 2004

The Irish Schools' Debating Team will face their first test today (Friday 13th February), as they take part in two of their eight first round debates in the World Schools' Debating Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

Andrea Mulligan, Sarah Swaine, Ross Frenett and Captain Josephine Curry have been training for five solid months for the Championships, and the first hurdle on the way to recapturing the World Title Ireland won for the first time in 2002 will be a tough debate against Scotland. Ireland will propose the motion "This House believes that Turkey should join the European Union" this morning, before going into an impromptu debate in the afternoon against Argentina.

They will continue their Round One debates on Sunday, with another impromptu, this time against the WSDC stalwarts South Africa, and a prepared debate against Bermuda where Team Ireland will toe the E.U. line by warning the world against the dangers of G.M. crops.

The Team are accompanied to Germany by the Chair of the Irish Schools' Debating Council, and Team Coach, Mr Dick Wafer. The Team is kindly sponsored by the Department of Education, and is selected by the Council each year following trials held on a provincial and national level.

The Council and Team can be contacted via their website, http://homepage.eircom.net/~irishdebating/ - where up to the minute results will be available, and by email - schoolsdebating@eircom.net

Council member Cian Murphy is available to deal with all enquiries at 087 7539381, seven days a week.

PHOTO CAPTION: Irish Schools' Debating Team 2004 - (L-R) Ms Sarah Deeny (Council), David Kenny (Team '03), Sarah Swaine, Mr Noel McGrath (Council), Ross Frenett, Josephine Curry (Captain), Andrea Mulligan, Mr Dick Wafer (Coach).

ATTACHED: Team Photo
ATTACHED: 2004 Tournament Logo

ENDS