Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach

Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised)

2:00 am

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I will put a couple of questions, if I may. I appreciate that we are under time pressure. On subhead A.6, relating to citizens' assemblies, I note that €1.547 million was allocated last year. It is €500,000 this year. I know there was a very active series of citizens' assemblies during the previous administration. What are the plans for citizens' assemblies for this administration? My understanding is that there may only be one, a citizens' assembly on the future of education. What are the plans for future citizens' assemblies? Why has there been a reduction? There are none this year. Is this €500,000 to clear up some of the outstanding work of the previous assemblies? What are the plans for the assembly on education?