Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The conclusion of the report is very welcome. The directive principles of the social policy in the Irish Constitution are some of the most positive and engaging elements of the document.It is my belief that their better realisation by Irish Governments would go far in creating a fairer and more equal Republic that the founders of the State envisaged in the Proclamation of 1916.

I hope, should the recommendations be sent to either committee, that the discussion might be expanded to include another aspect that I believe has a place in the Constitution, the protection of the right to a healthy environment. According to a paper released this week by Dr. Roderic O'Gorman of DCU, 148 of the 196 national constitutions now in place contain some form of environmentalism. Ireland is one of only 48 countries with no such provisions. This is in part likely due to the age of the Constitution, written as it was at a time before environmentalism and ecology were part of the political and economic vocabulary. The only time the natural environment gets mentioned is with regard to natural resources and even then the approach is an entirely extractive one that emphasises only the natural environment as something to be exploited. Dr. O'Gorman's paper outlines the emergence of the international trend towards constitutional guarantees and the different ways it can be expressed, from the right to a healthy environment to rights for the environment itself as an inherent good. If we are to consider changes to the Constitution to expand and solidify the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens, environmental rights are a core part of all three areas and must be included in the discussion.

I also concur with the Sinn Féin counter motion. I believe that this report would be better served by consideration by a committee which would consider it in a wider context than merely fiscal. Either way, I look forward to engaging with the discussion as it proceeds through the Oireachtas.