30 Sep 2022, 00:01
On Friday 30th September 2022, the Seanad Public Consultation will hold its first meeting to look at the constitutional future of the island of Ireland. The meeting, which will be held in the Seanad Chamber, will be in two parts.
On Friday 30th September 2022, the Seanad Public Consultation will hold its first meeting to look at the constitutional future of the island of Ireland.
The meeting, which will be held in the Seanad Chamber, will be in two parts. The morning session (11am-1pm) will focus on listening to and engaging with young people and experts.
Participants will outline their hopes, aspirations, and priorities in respect of the constitutional future of the island of Ireland and how public policy can impact their futures. In the morning young people representing Foróige, the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum will outline their vision.
One of the young people who will take part Caitlin Thompson, age 17, from Mayo commented "It's so important youth voices are included in the decision-making process of important political decisions that affect our future. And what could be more impactful than the decision process of Ireland’s constitutional future”
In the afternoon (2pm-5pm), the Committee will welcome communities throughout the island to hear and discuss their vision. Prior to this first meeting and mindful of the ongoing public policy debate on the issue, the safeguarding of the peace process and the future that Ireland would like to have for generations to come, the committee invited submissions from individuals, interested groups and organisations from all traditions and opinions to consider the constitutional future of the island of Ireland.
The Seanad Public Consultation Committee acknowledges the ongoing work of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on this matter. It will look at the recommendations of the Joint Committee’s reports on the topic of constitutional change and other similar reports when examining the constitutional future. Rapporteur to the Committee for this project will be Senator Mark Daly.
Senator Daly is the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann and Chairperson of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee.
Welcoming the voices of Young People and members of the public to the consultation and noting the centenary of Seanad Éireann, Senator Daly said: “This is an opportunity to look forward, while we also glance back over the last 100 years.
“Our Committee is indebted to the many people throughout the island who will engage with us throughout this process. In particular, I wish to welcome the presence of our young people today. They have more to gain and more to lose than any other generation. Their perspective is critical to this consultation. I also warmly welcome our friends from the Unionist community, who will join other communities this afternoon.”
Reverend Kyle Paisley, Minister at Oulton Broad Free Presbyterian Church in Suffolk said: “As a unionist it is my belief that Northern Ireland and it's people’s best interests are best served as part of the United Kingdom. A reimagined Northern Ireland is a vision that Unionism must embrace.”
Pat McArt, former editor of the Derry Journal said “The lesson of the Brexit referendum is that any referendum requires detailed planning, so people know exactly what they would be voting for”
The members of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee are:
• Senator Joe O’Reilly, Vice-Chairperson (Leas-Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann)
• Senator Frances Black
• Senator Victor Boyhan
• Senator Pat Casey
• Senator Emer Currie
• Senator Vincent P. Martin
• Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile.
• Senator Mark Wall
Media contact: Joanne Ahern / Patricia Ryan, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837 / 087-241 2928
Committee membership
Senators