Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 28, inclusive, together.

As the House will be aware, the most recent Citizens' Assembly, on gender equality, concluded its work in June 2021. In the intervening period, circumstances pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that it has not been possible, until now, to arrange for the establishment and running of further assemblies. The recent easing of public health restrictions means it is once again possible to plan for the running of assemblies with in-person meetings.

I am pleased to confirm to the House that the Government has today agreed to the establishment of two citizens' assemblies, one dealing with the issues of biodiversity and the other dealing with the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. It is proposed on this occasion to run the two separate assemblies concurrently, with inaugural meetings planned for April 2022. This will be the first time that two assemblies will run concurrently, and presents a significant opportunity to design and implement an operational model that can allow for a greater number of citizens' assemblies to be run.

It is envisaged that a citizens' assembly on drug use will follow these two assemblies, with the intention of running it concurrently with a citizens' assembly on the future of education. That decision, of course, will be taken later this year and will be informed by what we learn over the coming period about the benefits and challenges of running assemblies concurrently.

The matters to be considered by both assemblies are important and urgent, and the Government wishes to move with speed to get the assemblies up and running. The formal establishment of the new assemblies will require a resolution to be passed both in this House and in the Seanad. The Office of the Government Chief Whip will be engaging with the Business Committee this week to make the necessary arrangements to bring a motion before the Oireachtas next week.

The terms of reference for each assembly have been designed so that they are sufficiently well-defined to ensure a clear focus for the assembly, while at the same time not being so prescriptive as to inhibit the scope of the assembly to define its work programme as it deems appropriate. The terms of reference for the Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity derive from, and are consistent with, the resolution passed by Dáil Éireann in May 2019 which declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and called for a citizens' assembly to examine how the State can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss.

The terms of reference for the Dublin Citizens' Assembly derive from, and are consistent with, the programme for Government, which contains a commitment to establish a citizens' assembly to consider the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. The full terms of reference will be included in the motion that is to be brought before this House next week.

In conclusion, let me reiterate that the Government wishes to move with speed to establish both these assemblies and we look forward to further progressing this matter this week and next.

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