https___2016-2018.citizensassembly.ie_ga_Eolas-faoi-Thionol-na-Saoranach_Culra__1.xml
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Establishment of the Assembly The Programme for a Partnership Government committed the Government to ‘the establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly, within six months and without participation by politicians, with a mandate to look at a limited number of key issues over an extended time period.’ Extension to Assembly Term The Assembly's terms of reference stated that consideration of the five topics would be completed "not later than one year from the date of the first Assembly meeting", i.e. November 2016. It became clear that it would not be possible to consider all topics within the one year time frame given the addition of a second weekend for both the second and third topics considered by the Assembly, how we best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population and how the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change respectively. The Assembly received an extension on 3 October 2017 from the Houses of the Oireachtas in order to complete its consideration of the remaining two topics by the end of March 2018. A second extension was required and received from the Houses of the Oireachtas due to the postponement of the March 2018 meeting because of Storm Emma. Terms of Reference The Assembly’s terms of reference were agreed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in July 2016. That Dáil Éireann "approves the calling of a Citizens’ Assembly to consider the following matters and to make such recommendations as it sees fit and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas: (i) the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution; (ii) how we best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population; (iii) fixed term parliaments; (iv) the manner in which referenda are held; and (v) how the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change; and notes that: - membership of the Assembly will consist of 100 persons as follows: - a Chairperson to be appointed by the Government; and - 99 citizens entitled to vote at a referendum, randomly selected so as to be broadly representative of Irish society; - substitutes may be appointed subject to the selection criteria above, who will be entitled to contribute to the proceedings and vote in their own name; - the Assembly will agree its own rules of procedure for the effective conduct of its business in as economical a manner as possible; - the Assembly will first make a report and recommendation on the matter set out at (i) above to the Houses of the Oireachtas, which on receipt will refer the report for consideration to a Committee of both Houses which will in turn bring its conclusions to the Houses for debate; - the Assembly will report and make recommendations to the Houses of the Oireachtas on each remaining matter as soon as it has completed its deliberations, but in any event not later than one year from the date of the first Assembly meeting; - the Assembly will also be asked to consider such other matters as may be referred to it; - an Expert Advisory Group will be established to assist the work of the Assembly in terms of preparing information and advice; - the Assembly may invite and accept submissions from interested bodies and will seek such expert advice as it considers desirable; - all matters before the Assembly will be determined by a majority of the votes of members present and voting, other than the Chairperson who will have a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes; and - the Government will provide in the Houses of the Oireachtas a response to each recommendation of the Assembly and, if accepting the recommendation, will indicate the timeframe it envisages for the holding of any related referendum.” Click here to read the transcript of the Dáil and Seanad debates.
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Bunú an Tionáil Ceanglaítear ar an Rialtas tríd an gClár le haghaidh Rialtais Chomhpháirtíochta Tionól Saoránach a bhunú, laistigh de shé mhí agus gan rannpháirtíocht polaiteoirí a bheith i gceist leis, agus mandáid aige féachaint ar líon teoranta saincheisteanna thar thréimhse fhada ama.’ Síneadh le Téarma an Tionóil Sonraíodh i dtéarmaí tagartha an Tionóil go gcuirfí breithniúchán ar an gcúig ábhar i gcrích "tráth nach déanaí ná bliain ó dháta an chéad chruinnithe de chuid an Tionóil, i.e. Samhain 2016. Ba léir nach bhféadfaí na hábhair ar fad a bhreithniú taobh istigh den tréimhse bliana amháin de bharr deireadh seachtaine breise a thabhairt don dara agus don tríú hábhar a bhí le breithniú ag an Tionól, an bealach is fearr le dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin agus na deiseanna a bhaineann le daonra atá ag dul in aois agus agus mar a fhéadfaidh an Stát tír cheannródaíoch a dhéanamh d'Éirinn maidir le dul i ngleic le hathrú aeráide faoi seach. Fuair an Tionól síneadh an 3 Deireadh Fómhair 2017 ó Thithe an Oireachtais d'fhonn a chuid breithnithe ar an dá ábhar a bhí fanta a thabhairt chun críche faoi dheireadh mhí an Mhárta 2018. Bhí síneadh eile de dhíth mar gheall gur cuireadh cruinniú mhí an Mhárta ar ceal de bharr Stoirm Emma agus fuarthas an síneadh sin ó Thithe an Oireachtais. Téarmaí Tagartha Aontaíodh téarmaí tagartha an Tionóil i dTithe an Oireachtais i mí Iúil 2016. “Go ndéanann Dáil Éireann: a cheadú go ndéanfar Tionól Saoránach a ghairm chun breithniú a dhéanamh ar na nithe seo a leanas agus chun cibé moltaí a dhéanamh is cuí leis agus chun tuairisciú do Thithe an Oireachtais: (i) an tOchtú Leasú ar an mBunreacht; (ii) conas is fearr is féidir linn tabhairt faoi na dúshláin agus na deiseanna a bhaineann le daonra atá ag dul in aois; (iii) parlaimintí ar théarma seasta; (iv) an modh ina seoltar reifrinn; agus (v) conas is féidir leis an Stát a chinntiú go mbeidh Éire ina ceannródaí maidir le dul i ngleic leis an athrú aeráide; agus a thabhairt dá aire: - gur 100 duine mar a leanas a bheidh i gcomhaltas an Tionóil: - Cathaoirleach a bheidh le ceapadh ag an Rialtas; agus - 99 saoránach atá i dteideal vótáil i reifreann, arna roghnú go hamasach sa chaoi go mbeidh siad ionadaitheach do shochaí na hÉireann i gcoitinne; - féadfar ionadaithe a cheapadh faoi réir na gcritéar roghnóireachta thuas, agus beidh na hionadaithe sin in ann páirt a ghlacadh sna himeachtaí agus vótáil faoina n-ainm féin; - comhaontóidh an Tionól a rialacha nóis imeachta féin d’fhonn a ghnó a sheoladh go héifeachtach ar shlí a bheidh chomh heacnamúil agus is féidir; - sa chéad ásc, tabharfaidh an tionól tuarascáil, agus déanfaidh sé moladh, do Thithe an Oireachtais ar an ní a leagtar amach ag (i) thuas, agus ar an méid sin a fháil tarchuirfidh Tithe an Oireachtais an Tuarascáil lena breithniú chuig Coiste den Dá Theach, ar Coiste é a dhéanfaidh a chuid tátal a chur faoi bhráid na dTithe chun díospóireacht a dhéanamh orthu; - tuairisceoidh an Tionól do Thithe an Oireachtais agus déanfaidh sé moltaí dóibh ar gach ní eile a luaithe a bheidh a phléití críochnaithe aige agus, in aon chás, tráth nach déanaí ná bliain amháin ó dháta an chéad chruinnithe den Tionól; - iarrfar ar an Tionól freisin breithniú a dhéanamh ar cibé nithe eile a tharchuirfear chuige; - bunófar Gasra Comhairleach Saineolaithe chun cabhrú le hobair an Tionóil, ó thaobh faisnéis agus comhairle a ullmhú; - féadfaidh an Tionól aighneachtaí a iarraidh ó chomhlachtaí leasmhara agus glacadh leo agus lorgóidh sé cibé comhairle shaineolaíoch is dóigh leis is inmhianaithe; - déanfar gach ní a bheidh os comhair an Tionóil a chinneadh trí thromlach de vótaí na gcomhaltaí a bheidh i láthair agus a vótálfaidh, seachas an Cathaoirleach a mbeidh vóta cinniúna aige nó aici i gcás comhionannas vótaí; agus - tabharfaidh an Rialtas freagra i dTithe na Oireachtais ar gach moladh a dhéanfaidh an Tionól agus, má tá sé chun glacadh leis an moladh, cuirfidh sé an creat ama in iúl ar lena linn atá sé ag brath aon reifreann gaolmhar a sheoladh” Cliceáil anseo chun tras-scríbhinn dhíospóireachtaí na Dála agus an tSeanaid a léamh.