Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. At the outset I welcome both of these citizens’ assemblies. We need to take stock of the previous assembly that we had on gender equality. It is of concern that despite Covid-19, there were 45 recommendations that crossed a number of areas and I share the concern of my own colleague, Deputy Clarke, that because of the inaction from that citizens’ assembly, it may result in people being less inclined to participate in future assemblies. We have a citizens’ assembly report and now have a Committee on Gender Equality in place and yet the importance of that work has to be made by a decision of Government. I would appreciate if that was expedited.

The destruction of biodiversity and the measures to strengthen local democratic accountability are of great importance. The destruction of biodiversity is accelerating at an alarming rate. Immediate action needs to go alongside this citizens’ assembly and it is important that we do not put everything on hold. Agriculture will no doubt be a vitally important theme in that discussion. Our family farmers stand ready to deliver the substantial change we need but they cannot do so without support and clear guidance.

Sinn Féin will always defend and support agriculture and rural economies across the entire island. We know the importance of this industry to our national economy and the role it has to play in delivering high quality food while contributing to Ireland’s ambitious targets on biodiversity and climate change. They need, however, a clear plan and real financial backing.

Can the Minister of State ensure that, unlike the two previous agri-environmental schemes, enclosed lands with heather are not included from low-input permanent pasture measures because we all know that peatlands are of the utmost importance in the carbon store?

Again, organic farming, while only one aspect of how we address biodiversity, is a very important one. One of the major drawbacks of promoting organic farming is the amount of bureaucracy attached to organic production. Working from a base of 2% we have a huge amount of ground to make up. I welcome the citizens’ assembly on biodiversity although the Government needs to do more in parallel with the discussions being held.

When we talk about citizens’ assemblies we cannot continue to ignore the urgent need for a citizens’ assembly on Irish unity and reunification. The Good Friday Agreement provides for the democratic pathway to Irish reunification. The power to call the two concurrent referendums, however, North and South, is in the hands of the Secretary of State of the British Government. Legally the British Government is obliged to call a referendum on Irish reunification when it appears likely that a majority would express a wish that the North should cease to part of the UK and form part of a united Ireland.

The timing of the calling of referendum still resting with the British Government and the ambiguity over the criteria to determine when a likely vote could be won means that we need to be ready. The debate on Irish reunification is growing nationally and internationally and the momentum for constitutional change on the island has never been stronger. Questions around healthcare, education, governance arrangements, taxation, pensions, public services and the place of unionists within a new Ireland are among the many important issues that a citizens’ assembly could discuss in an informed environment. People deserve to be voting in a situation where we have full information. There has been extensive civic leadership in the constitutional conversation. Grassroots movements such as Think 32, Shared Ireland, Ireland’s Future and the Constitutional Conversations group, among others, have demonstrated a commitment to innovation in their approaches to ensure debate. Indeed, universities on both islands are debating and discussing the issue.

We and the Government are failing in not setting a citizens’ assembly to discuss these really important matters. We saw what happened on Brexit in not being prepared. The Government is speaking out of both sides of its mouth. In one sense it says that we cannot have a referendum on Irish unity until we are prepared. We fully agree with the Government on that in Sinn Féin but there is a responsibility on the Government to ensure that a citizens’ assembly is set up, amongst other things, to discuss the challenges and opportunities that reunification presents. We cannot continue to ignore the elephant in the room when so many people are demanding this to be done.

See this speech in context