Citizens' Assemblies on biodiversity loss and a directly elected mayor for Dublin began on Saturday.
The inaugural event for the two assemblies was a joint meeting that took place virtually, with the 99 members of the biodiversity loss assembly and the 79 members of the Dublin assembly joining online while assembly chairs Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin and Jim Gavin made their opening statements at Dublin Castle.
In an online address to the event, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that once again the State was placing people “at the heart of the consideration of proposals which could have a significant impact on the way we live our lives”.
“These two new Citizens’ Assemblies will provide a means by which everyday people, who normally don’t get the opportunity to be involved in policy development or legislative proposals . . . [can] make a very real and direct contribution to the State’s response to both biodiversity loss and the structure of local government in Dublin,” he said.
Mr Martin also assured assembly members that the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas were "listening and waiting to hear what everyone has to say".
Dr Ní Shúilleabháin, chair of the biodiversity loss assembly, said that while biodiversity was a major global, European, national and local issue, it “perhaps doesn’t get the focus it deserves”.
"From the health of the soil, to the quality of the food we eat; from the populations of flora and fauna around us, to the cleanliness of the water we drink. Curbing biodiversity loss and regenerating our country is an enormous challenge, but one that I believe we can make a difference on. Indeed, Ireland can be a global leader in this space," she said.
She said assembly members’ job would be to listen, learn and collaborate on recommendations for the Oireachtas which she hoped “will lead to sustainable and lasting change for the benefit of the generations of the future” on the issue.
Major challenges
Jim Gavin, chair of the Dublin assembly, which will also consider the local government structures best suited for the city, said that like all cities Dublin faced major challenges ranging from housing, transport, infrastructure, sustainability and “lots more”.
“These are challenges that affect the daily lives of all Dubliners and the members of the Dublin assembly have a unique opportunity to listen to all the challenges and opportunities and make recommendations to the Oireachtas on how we can make Dublin an even better place to live, work and raise a family,” he said.
“But I want also to appeal to all people living in Dublin and ask them to engage in our work.”
The assemblies will now meet separately throughout the course of 2022, with both due to complete their work by the end of the year.
The first meeting of the Dublin assembly will take place on Friday, April 29th, to Sunday, May 1st, at the Grand Hotel, Malahide, with the first meeting of the biodiversity assembly scheduled for May 14th.
Previous citizens’ assemblies have made recommendations to government on issues such as the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, gender equality, and climate change.
