Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Tánaiste outlined to the House, the consultative forum will be spread across four days and three different venues. University College Cork will host the forum on 22 June and University of Galway will host it on 23 June. I put on record the Government's thanks to both universities. As academic centres of excellence, they will provide the appropriate thoughtfulness on this reflective discussion on all the areas under their consideration. Following the sessions in Cork and Galway, Dublin Castle will host days on 26 and 27 June.

In taking this idea forward, the Government was very conscious of the two important citizens' assemblies, as the Tánaiste correctly outlined. Against the backdrop of the increasingly complex and challenging security context throughout Europe, it was clear that discussions of our internal security policy could not be delayed. As the Tánaiste said previously in the House, the forum will involve a broad range of stakeholders with participation from civilian and military experts and practitioners. The Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence are currently consulting with academic, civil society, research and State agency partners to identify a wide range of speakers and participants, from Ireland and abroad, representing a breadth of experience and views.

In total, we anticipate that up to 1,000 people will attend the consultations and discussions across the four days of the forum. All the sessions will be livestreamed, allowing the broadest possible access to discussions, something that is not possible in a citizens' assembly. A consultation exercise will also be launched online at the end of May through the gov.ie platform. Full details of arrangements and submissions, as well as pre-registration to attend for livestreaming, will also be published on gov.ie. Anyone interested in engaging in this process should do so.

Deputies will be aware of the chairperson of the new forum and her breadth of experience. I am confident that Professor Richardson, a native of County Waterford and a distinguished political scientist with a strong expertise in security policy in her own right, will play a very positive role in chairing the discussions. The forum has adopted the same approach to her appointment and remuneration as that for the chair of the citizens' assemblies. Professor Richardson has been appointed with due consideration of the expertise and experience required to execute the main functions of the chair.

Professor Richardson will also be responsible for the production of a report of the consultative forum to be delivered to the Tánaiste in a timely manner following its conclusion. The Tánaiste will consider its findings and will decide in due course on the recommendations to be taken to the Government.

I will underline once again the Government’s view that this is the very time for respectful, honest, mature conversation about the international security environment and the relevant policy options available to the State. We look forward to all Members of the House engaging constructively in the forum.

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