Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Question:75. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she has agreed a commencement date for a Citizens’ Assembly on Education; and when she hopes that the Assembly will take place. [49936/22]
View answerTuesday, 11 October 2022
Questions (75)
Written answers
I am very pleased to see the inclusion of a Citizens’ Assembly on the future of education in which the voices of young people and those being educated are central in the Programme for Government.
Ireland is considered a leader in the use of deliberative democracy processes, having convened three in recent years; the Convention on the Constitution (2012-14), the Citizens’ Assembly 2016-18 which considered the Eighth amendment of the Constitution, how we best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population, fixed term parliaments, the manner in which referenda are held and how the state can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change and the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality (2019-2021). There are two Assemblies currently in progress: the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss which commenced in April 2022 and the Dublin Citizens’ Assembly, to consider the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin, which also commenced in April 2022.
Two further Citizens’ Assemblies are committed to under the current Programme for Government: one on the use of drugs and the other on the future of education. Arrangements for and the timing of the remaining Citizens’ Assemblies will be contingent upon the scoping of the issues, and the logistical and staffing support arrangements. The establishment of the Citizens’ Assembly on the future of Education will be the subject of a Government decision and resolutions of the Dáil and Seanad at the appropriate time. The question of when the Assembly might commence depends in large part on how soon the current Assemblies conclude their work and submit their reports.
My published Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 sets out the framework for the Department’s work for the period 2021-2023, including advancing education commitments in the Programme for Government. In this regard, it specifically mentions exploring the scope for a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Education and my officials are working on this, including the development of a consultation proposal. This work includes liaison with the Department of the Taoiseach and ongoing discussion with key stakeholders across school communities.
The commitment in the Programme for Government also states that the voices of young people and those being educated are central to this Assembly. The impact that children and young people have on shaping their own learning experience is a focus of the work of my Department, and through this process we will work with children and young people to include their voices both through the consultation process and the Assembly itself. We will also work closely with parents, teachers, school leaders and all those in school communities who help shape our education system.