Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2012
130 Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Taoiseach the version of the Electoral Register that will be used to select the 66 persons who will be consulted as part of the constitutional convention; if he will consider using the Electoral Register for local elections in order that immigrants or non-Irish nationals might also be included in the focus group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30274/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Constitutional Convention will be considering aspects of the Constitution and may make recommendations that would give rise to referendums, the version of the electoral register that will be used in the selection of the 66 citizen members of the Convention will be that used for referendums.
A polling company will be engaged to randomly select 66 people entitled to vote in a referendum to be members of the Convention on the basis that the persons selected are representative of the population generally in terms of gender, age, social class and region. The selection process will be overseen by the Convention's independent Chairperson.
A number of views were expressed that interest groups or specific sections of society should be represented at the Convention. Examples included vulnerable, disadvantaged or marginalised groups, children, persons from Northern Ireland (including especially Northern unionists), the Diaspora and Ireland's newest citizens.
The Government is firmly of the view that the Convention should be composed of ordinary citizens and elected representatives. It is not practical to accommodate as members, in a fair and representative manner, all of the groups or sections of society that have been proposed.
However, it is anticipated that interest groups will be able to interact with the Convention, including by making submissions, and that the Chairperson and members of the Convention would be anxious to hear from a representative spectrum of opinion in carrying out their work.
