Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this proposal and the functions which would be assigned to the commission. We have seen lately in different referendums that people will vote for something that they feel is important to them. We need to look at this, including the long-term picture, given people died to ensure we can vote years ago. We as politicians should promote it and ask people to use their vote, because people have died for it.

The main issue regarding the public consultation will be engagement in terms of submissions and feedback. I note the deadline for submissions was 15 March 2018. Do the witnesses expect engagement with the process will be an issue because even when the councils open up public consultations people are not inclined to engage? I welcome this initiative but I would like to know the level of engagement the Department expects from the public on it.