Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak on this motion, which relates to the proposed citizens' assembly. I want to begin by saying that any and all mechanisms that afford citizens further opportunities to participate in the democratic process are to be welcomed and commended. We have had witnessed a number of successful endeavours of this type in Ireland. The Government’s proposal clearly models itself on the 2011 We the Citizens initiative, which was particularly successful. Citizens' assemblies have proved successful in many other countries, including Canada. I have no doubt that a similar proposal in this State would prove useful. Having said that, we have an example of a deliberative assembly that has worked very well. I refer to the Constitutional Convention, which sat between December 2012 and March 2014. I believe that rather than trying to reinvent the wheel for various reasons, we should seek to replicate the Constitutional Convention model. If it is not broken, why fix it? The convention, its secretariat, its chair and especially the citizens who participated in it did an excellent job and produced a series of first-class reports and recommendations.

The Sinn Féin representatives who played their part in the Constitutional Convention felt this democratic process was an uplifting and enjoyable experience. Sinn Féin would prefer it if the convention were reconvened and re-established with a new remit. In addition to the issues set out by the Government, a re-established convention should examine the issues affecting the entire island in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum. This is the most important matter facing our country in the coming years. Consideration should also be given to the outstanding recommendations of the previous convention and other issues, including political reform. Sinn Féin made its position clear to the Taoiseach when Teachta Adams wrote to him just before he went to the Cabinet with a memo on the current proposal. I am disappointed that the Taoiseach has not taken those suggestions on board. Teachta Adams encouraged him to consider the appointment of elected representatives, as was done in the previous convention. One of the reasons the convention worked so well was that political representatives worked together with citizens in a holistic way to arrive at positive and worthwhile conclusions. The all-Ireland structure of the convention, involving Members of the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly, was also very positive. It is particularly regrettable in the aftermath of the Brexit vote that this is being abandoned in the Taoiseach’s current proposal. It is important to acknowledge the contributions of other Deputies in recent weeks with respect to the inclusion of residents who are not entitled to vote in referendums. We would like this matter to be discussed in any future convention or assembly. Sinn Féin is of the view that there is a broad consensus in the Dáil and within our citizenship that the eighth amendment needs to be repealed.