Convention Reports & Recommendations
2013-2014 – Convention on the Constitution
Convention on the Constitution
Summary of Reports & Recommendations
This icon indicates recommendations that require a referendum before they can be acted upon.
Voting Age
Reduction of the voting age to 17.
Recommendations
- Voting age should be reduced to 16.
Government Response
Presidential Term
Reduction of the Presidential term of office to five years and aligning it with local and European elections.
Recommendations
- No change to length of term of office
- Reduce age for presidential candidates
- Give citizens a say in the nomination process
Government Response
Role of Women
Amendment to the clause on the role of women in the home & encouraging greater participation of women in public life.
Recommendations
- Article 41.2 (on the role of women) should be made gender-neutral to include other carers both ‘in the home’ and ‘beyond the home’
- Re a.41.2.2 (the State’s support for carers) the State should provide ‘a reasonable level of support’.
Government Response
Women in Politics
Increasing the participation of women in politics.
Recommendations
- The Constitution should be amended to include an explicit provision on gender equality.
- Apart from constitutional reform, there should be more government action to encourage greater participation of women in politics.
- The Constitution should be amended to include ‘gender-inclusive’ language.
Government Response
Same-sex Marriage
Provision for same-sex marriage.
Recommendations
- The Constitution should be amended to include an explicit provision on gender equality.
- The Constitution should be amended to allow for same-sex marriage (and this amendment should be ‘directive’)
- If the amendment is carried then the State should enact laws incorporating necessary changed arrangements in regard to the parentage, guardianship and upbringing of children.
Government Response
Electoral System
Review of the Dáil electoral system.
Recommendations
- The existing (STV) electoral system should be amended to ensure that the smallest constituency size is a 5-seater and to remove the alphabetical order of candidates on the ballot paper.
- The State should establish an Electoral Commission.
- Polling hours/days should be extended.
- There should be greater access to postal voting.
- The accuracy of the electoral register should be improved.
- Measures should be introduced to increase electoral turnout.
- Education programmes should be introduced in schools.
- There should be non-parliamentary ministers in government.
- Members of the Dáil should be required to resign their seats on being appointed to ministerial office.
- Citizen-initiatives should be introduced (both for influencing the parliamentary agenda and for the calling of referendums).
Government Response
Right to Vote
Giving citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections.
Recommendations
- Citizens resident outside the State should have the right to vote in Presidential elections.
Government Response
Blasphemy
Removal of the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution.
Recommendations
- The offence of blasphemy should be removed from the Constitution and replaced with an offence of incitement to religious hatred.
- Creation of a new set of detailed legislative provisions to include incitement to religious hatred on a statutory footing.
Government Response
Dáil Reform
Dáil Reform
Recommendations
- Enhance the office of the Ceann Cohmairle.
- Election of the Ceann Comhairle by secret ballot.
- Include reference to Dáil Committees in the Constitution.
- Amend Article 17.2 relating to prior government approval for expenditure proposals.
- Dáil Reform Committee to include external members and former TDs.
- Dáil Reform Committee to bring forward proposals for genuine Dáil reform.
- Members to set the Dáil agenda in a forum chaired by the Ceann Cohmairle.
- Proportionate allocation of committee chairs and a secret ballot for their election.
- More technical and professional resources to the committees.
- The Working Group of Committee Chairs should be given the power to call the Taoiseach.
- More “free votes” on Dáil and committee business.
- Create a procedure to allow all TDs to make recommendations that involve a charge on the public purse or the people.
Government Response
ESC Rights
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Recommendations
- Enhanced constitutional protection of economic, social and cultural rights; to be realized progressively, subject to maximum available resources and to be justiciable.
- Specific additional rights should be enumerated in the Constitution (housing, social security, essential health care, etc.)
