Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:“approves the calling of a Constitutional Convention to consider the following matters and to make such recommendations as it sees fit and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas:

(i) the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution;

(ii) how we best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population;

(iii) fixed term parliaments;

(iv) the manner in which referenda are held;

(v) political reform, including reform of the Dáil and the Seanad;

(vi) the implementation of outstanding recommendations of the Constitutional Convention;

(vii) the implications of the ‘Brexit’ referendum on north/south co-operation, all-Ireland service provision and the Good Friday Agreement; and

(viii) national reconciliation and Irish unity; and

notes that:

— membership of the Convention will consist of 100 persons as follows:

— a Chairperson to be appointed by the Dáil;

— 62 citizens entitled to vote at a referendum, randomly selected so as to be broadly representative of Irish society;

— four residents not entitled to vote at a referendum, selected so as to be broadly representative of Irish society;

— a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly from each of the political parties in the Assembly; and

— members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, so as to be impartially representative of the Houses;

— substitutes may be appointed subject to the selection criteria above, who will be entitled to contribute to the proceedings and vote in their own name;

— the Convention will agree its own rules of procedure for the effective conduct of its business in as economical a manner as possible;

— the Convention will have appropriate regard to the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements;

— the Convention will first make a report and recommendation on the matter set out at (i) above within two months of its first meeting to the Houses of the Oireachtas, which on receipt will refer the report for consideration to a Committee of both Houses within one week which will in turn bring its conclusions to the Houses for debate within one month;

— the Convention will report and make recommendations to the Houses of the Oireachtas on each remaining matter as soon as it has completed its deliberations, but in any event not later than one year from the date of the first Convention meeting;

— the Convention will also be asked to consider such other matters as may be referred to it;

— an Expert Advisory Group will be established to assist the work of the Convention in terms of preparing information and advice;

— the Convention may invite and accept submissions from interested bodies and will seek such expert advice as it considers desirable;

— all matters before the Convention will be determined by a majority of the votes of members present and voting, other than the Chairperson who will have a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes; and

— the Government will provide in the Houses of the Oireachtas a response to each recommendation of the Convention and, if accepting the recommendation, will indicate the timeframe it envisages for the holding of any related referendum."

Ba mhaith liom an leasú a mholadh. Nuair a bhí mé ag caint níos luaithe, rinne mé dearmad comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

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