RECOMMENDATIONS MADE by the upcoming constitutional convention will not “gather dust and cobwebs on the shelves”, but will guide and influence the Government, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said last night.
Speaking at the launch of a new book by High Court judge Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, The Origins of the Irish Constitution 1928-1941, Mr Kenny said the process would be “radically different from any process of constitutional reform that has gone before”.
Ordinary citizens would be in the majority, and would work alongside elected representatives to bring forward proposals for reform, he said.
“They will be supported with expert advice from political scientists, constitutional lawyers and academics, while sectoral bodies and other interest groups will be able to make submissions to assist the convention with its deliberations.”
Mr Kenny said the convention will address key issues including “making provision in the Constitution for same-sex marriage” and “encouraging greater participation by women in public life”.
He also said Ireland’s 1937 Constitution was “the most important document written since Ireland won its independence”.
“It is central to our identity as a nation. It is central to how we govern and how we protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens,” he said. But while it provided an important foundation for the development of the State “it was undoubtedly a product of its time”.
He said Mr Justice Hogan’s book would “enable us to reflect more deeply on the centrality of the Constitution” while we embark on a process to equip it for the challenges of the 21st century.
The book, the launch of which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Constitution, is published by the Royal Irish Academy and contains a selection of key documents relating to the development and drafting of the Constitution. Each chapter also explains the context and importance of the documents.
Speaking at the launch, author Mr Justice Hogan highlighted the European influences drawn upon during the drafting of the Constitution. He also praised lawyer John J Hearne for his role calling him “the voice of moderation, innovation and cosmopolitanism in the entire drafting process”.
The best tribute that could be paid to those who drafted the Constitution was to “rededicate ourselves as a society to the timeless values of equality, justice and charity espoused in the Constitution”, he said.
The book is available free online until the end of September at ria.ieor in hard copy for €50.
