Departmental Correspondence

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023

Tuesday, 4 July 2023

Questions (496)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

496. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether any groups or individuals contacted his Department to express concerns in relation to the timeframe for making submissions to the consultation on the referendums on family, care and equality and/or in relation to the process for finalising the wordings to be put to referendum more generally; if so, how many individuals or groups expressed such concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32212/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The Request for Submissions regarding the proposed Referendums on Family, Care and Gender Equality was published on gov.ie on 25 April 2023, and posted on the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth’s Twitter account on the same day. The original deadline for submissions was 12pm on Tuesday 9 May 2023. Following contact from a small number of stakeholder groups, this deadline was subsequently extended to 12pm on Friday 19th May 2023, to allow more time for responses. When the deadline was extended, information regarding the request for submissions was again posted on the DCEDIY Twitter account – this was on 5 May 2023. 

Of the circa 1,850 submissions received in response to the Request for Submissions, four requested a further extension, while approximately 20 expressed discontent with the submissions process overall. Due to the nature of the work of the Inter-Departmental Committee, and the timeframe involved, it was unfortunately not possible to extend the deadline further.