Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Okay. Are we in a position, for example, to bring forward amendments to the motion? Very important amendments need to be made to it. For example, it is not clear whether voters in local elections, non-citizens, will be included in the citizens assembly. It is also not clear whether any account will be taken of issues being discussed? For example, if the issue is the eight amendment, will there be any weighting on the basis of gender, or if the issue is a matter which concerns the elderly, will the membership comprise members of the elderly population? This initiative represents a complete outsourcing of decisions on key issues that should be made in the Dáil.

This is a farce. If the House does not agree to extend the debating time, it will be clear that it is just a ruse to get the Government off the hook about taking a decision on the eighth amendment and to delay it further down the road.

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