Seanad debates

Thursday, 4 July 2019

Citizens’ Assemblies Bill 2019: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senators for their contributions and their brevity.

The Cathaoirleach mentioned a woman he met in America. I hope she did not come back and vote because that would have been illegal but I understand the point the Cathaoirleach made about the electoral register and I will come back to that in a moment.

The citizens' assembly model has improved our public discourse and political decision-making. I was asked about taking on the views of Dublin councillors and local authorities. While their views will feed into the process, councillors will not be members. Members of a citizens' assembly will be citizens.

The register of electors is managed by the local authorities and it is not a disaster. We should be careful with our language because to say it is a disaster is to undermine the outcome of every election or referendum. We know, however, that it can be improved and different local authorities are looking at different models for improving it. Dublin local authorities have recently piloted the Dublin voter site, which uses mygovid.ieto register online and users can amend their details on the electoral register there.

Recently, we began the process of reform of the electoral register to improve it. We had a public consultation to which 187 submissions were made. I will go to Cabinet soon with a report on the next steps we can take to reform and improve the register. I imagine we will put it on a digital footing. We will also look at voter engagement and education as well as ideas around automatic registration for young voters as they come of age. We want to ensure that the names of persons who can no longer be on the register because they have left the country or have, unfortunately, died will no longer be maintained on the register. All of those matters are being addressed in the reform of the electoral register that is under way.

The chairperson of the citizens' assembly will oversee the work of the polling company to achieve the balance among the 99 members as per the Government decision.

Senator Warfield commented on the Government commitment to the work that comes from conventions and assemblies. We are fully committed to that work. A vote on extending the franchise in presidential elections was due to take place. However, due to timing issues - chief among these was what was happening elsewhere - it has been delayed until later this year. It could be held in October or November provided the legislation passes the Houses in good time.

A recommendation to provide for economic and social rights in the Constitution is with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. The committee is not chaired by a Fine Gael member. We are awaiting the outcome of that work on further constitutional change.

Local government reform is already under way. The outcome of the recent plebiscite on the question of having a directly elected mayor of Limerick was positive. I was in Limerick with Senator Byrne and we discussed how we will progress that quickly. It is important that when we make a commitment to local government reform, we see it through.

Senator Mullen commented on the assembly and referred to more than 10,000 people being in emergency accommodation. That is directly relevant to the structure of local government in Dublin because local government is at the front line in homeless services. If we can better organise our local government and its operation and include more democratic accountability through a directly elected mayor - that will be a matter for the assembly - we will be able to improve the way in which we deliver services. In that way we can have more joined-up services among the four Dublin local authorities. They are joined up through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive but I believe more can be done to improve the services that are delivered in co-operation with our partners in the non-governmental organisation sector.

Senator Mullen spoke about academic elites. He himself has an academic background and was elected from a university panel. I am unsure why he is dismissing people with an academic background and their ability to come to informed judgments. I do not understand why he is dismissing the ability of our citizens to come to informed judgments when information is given to them and they have the time and space to debate. Characterising this as a group that gets together in a hotel at the weekend is highly unfair. The two assemblies we have had have done fantastic work.

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