I confess I'm big fan fan of the Citizens Assembly. As an exercise in democracy, it injects citizen viewpoints into the pressing constitutional, political and legal issues facing contemporary Ireland. Members deliberate impartial, expert, factual concerning these issues , and their conclusions inform the reports and recommendations to be submitted to Houses of the Oireachtas for further debate by our elected representatives.
But why stop there? Why not actually replace the Seanad as currently composed with spirit of the Citizens Assembly and rather than just inform reports and recommendations, the input instead forms the basis for reform of the pressing constitutional, political and legal issues in the real life - not just the narrow political life - of the nation.
Members to be empaneled on a the basis of National Sortition - along with alternates - for a single 4-5 year term, and current and previous members are automatically excluded from future selection.
What does P.ie think?
https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/
But why stop there? Why not actually replace the Seanad as currently composed with spirit of the Citizens Assembly and rather than just inform reports and recommendations, the input instead forms the basis for reform of the pressing constitutional, political and legal issues in the real life - not just the narrow political life - of the nation.
Members to be empaneled on a the basis of National Sortition - along with alternates - for a single 4-5 year term, and current and previous members are automatically excluded from future selection.
What does P.ie think?
https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/