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Citizens' Assembly

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 February 2022

Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Questions (49)

Carol Nolan

Question:

49. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach the costs incurred from 2014 to date on the operation of each citizens’ assembly. [9091/22]

View answer

Written answers

The expenditure incurred by my Department on Citizens' Assemblies from 2014 to the end of 2021 is set out in the table below.

Year

Expenditure

2014

€327,000

2015

Nil

2016

€274,000

2017

€1,535,000

2018

€534,000

2019

€201,000

2020

€732,000

2021

€594,000

During this period two Citizens' Assemblies and one Convention on the Constitution took place. Matters considered by the 2013-2014 Convention on the Constitution were:

- Reducing the voting age and Presidential term

- The role of women in Politics

- Same sex marriage

- Electoral reform

- Blasphemy

- Granting citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections; Dáil Reform; Economic,Social and Cultural rights.

The 2016-2018 Citizens' Assembly considered the following matters:

- The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution

- How we best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an aging population

- Fixed term parliaments

- The manner in which referenda are held

- How the state can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change

The 2020-2021 Citizens' Assembly considered Gender Equality. Expenditure incurred in 2019 was in preparation for this Assembly.

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