Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I read the letter in a newspaper the other day. It arrived in newspapers before it arrived in my office and I did not get a phone call about it in advance. I imagine if I was the Leader of the Opposition, I would have a bee in my bonnet about that and would be feeling disrespected for two years, but I do not. I understand where the signatories are coming from in terms of their request.

A number of citizens' assemblies are in train. The one on gender equality is about to start and the next will be on local government in Dublin. At this stage, I have had at least ten or 15 requests for citizens' assemblies of some sort. We can only have one at a time, but, notwithstanding that, it is something to which I will give some consideration. I am conscious that a general election is under way in the UK and Northern Ireland. I have always been at pains not to make Brexit a constitutional question for very good reasons. I think the Deputy understands why that is the case.

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