Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers, go dtí an díospóireacht ar an rún seo faoi na tionóil shaoránach atá leagtha os ár gcomhair inniu. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. I welcome the motion, as other colleagues have done.

I will quickly refer to the issue of biodiversity. It is crucial, timely and important that this citizens' assembly would be held, and that the hard work, graft and effort of that citizens' assembly is not left on the shelf. I could go into a whole load of statistics, and to be fair to Senator Garvey she has raised the biodiversity crisis often in the House, but one statistic jumped out at me which is that currently 1 million animal and plant species are facing extinction. That is the largest number in our history. As part of that, I hope an assembly would look at all of the mechanical things we can do to try to offset, challenge, tackle and reverse the biodiversity crisis. I also hope that it looks at the economic models that drive the biodiversity crisis and that drive plant, species and animal extinction around the world. That is the notion of infinite profit or infinite growth on finite resources. I wish the citizens' assembly well in its work, given that the stakes are so high regarding that issue.

On the directly elected mayors and local government, I equally welcome that engagement and wish it well. As someone with experience of local government in the North, it always strikes me that there is a stark difference in the experience of colleagues in the Twenty-six Counties, and just how much power and authority rests with the unelected members of local government. It strikes me as quite stark. Anything that looks to address that imbalance and which gives more responsibility and authority to those elected by the citizens, is a welcome step forward and one that we should encourage.

I support the amendment, as other colleagues have done, from Senator Ruane on a citizens' assembly on drugs. Much like the biodiversity crisis, it is a live and imminent issue out there in our society. Because of that, it warrants an urgent response from the Government for the establishment of such a citizens' assembly. I look forward to hearing Senator Ruane's contribution in that regard.

I will conclude by raising an issue that has also been raised by colleagues in the Dáil. In May 2021, the Seanad passed a Fianna Fáil motion on the Good Friday Agreement. The motion was amended to call on the Government to establish a citizens' assembly to responsibly plan and prepare for constitutional change. The Minister of State will be aware, and colleagues across the House are aware, that there is growing momentum around that call in Irish society. I note last night's announcement from Ireland's Future that it plans to hold a conference on this very theme in the 3 Arena, or the Point Depot as many of us still know it, in October of this year. That is the will of this House. It is the express will of the Seanad that the citizens' assembly on constitutional change would be established. We call on the Government to do that unanimously, as it passed through the House without opposition in May 2021.

There are lots of issues upon which we could call for citizens' assemblies, but there are big touchstone issues of our time and big moments. Other colleagues have referred to the last number of citizens' assemblies that looked at the issue of the repeal of the eighth amendment and marriage equality. They were big touchstone moments where people sensed a change and cried out for that change. People wanted to be involved in the citizens' assemblies in helping to drive and shape that change. Whether it is the issue of constitutional change and a new and reconciled Ireland, whether it is tackling the challenges and threats posed to communities by drugs, and assisting and supporting those communities and individuals who are suffering as a result of drugs, or whether it is the biodiversity crisis, these are themes that warrant the fullest attention and the fullest and broadest engagement, contribution and dialogue from these institutions from local government and most importantly, given what we are talking about today, the ordinary citizens out there. I welcome the motion before us and I support it.