Meetings

Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality

25 January 2020

The inaugural meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly was held on 25 January 2020 [agenda].

The inaugural meeting can be watched below.

Please note that the information in the presentations and papers and its interpretation is based on the specialist expertise of the speakers who are independent of the Assembly and its Chair and Secretariat. 

Session 1 – Social Change in Ireland

Dr. Evelyn Mahon, Trinity College, Dublin – “Social Change in Ireland”

Dr. Evelyn Mahon delivery of her paper “Continuity and Change: Woman, Mothers and Gender Equality in Ireland” which was accompanied by a “Slideshow Presentation“.

Future Meetings

Generally speaking the format for the weekend meetings will be as follows:

  • Introductory remarks by the Chairperson
  • Expert presentations
  • Presentations from civil society and advocacy groups
  • Consideration of submissions by Members of the public
  • Question and Answer Sessions and Debates
  • Roundtable discussions

Deliberation and Facilitation of Discussions

Deliberation by Members is a cornerstone of the Assembly exercise. Roundtable discussions will be built into the timetable for each Assembly meeting to allow the Members the opportunity to further examine, discuss, debate and enhance their understanding of the material they are considering.

To assist with this discussion, facilitators and note-takers will be present at each table. Roomaxx Ltd were selected to provide this service following a competitive tendering process.

Roundtable discussions

Following a presentations from the speakers, the Assembly typically will break into private session round-table discussions to allow the Members to discuss what they have heard and to hear each other’s views.

Roundtable discussions also allow Members to consider and discuss how recommendations might be formed reflecting their deliberations.

Recommendations

The matters before the Assembly will be voted upon and recommendations based on the majority view of the Members will be made to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Government will then provide 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.