'We the Citizens' launches in Dublin

The "We the Citizens" initiative launched today in Dublin's Royal Hibernian Academy. Funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, it aims to show "how Ireland can benefit from her citizens engaging in new forms of public decision making." As part of the project, a national citizens' assembly will be held in Dublin on 25 and 26 June. Its agenda will be decided by seven citizen-led events around the country and by a nationwide poll, conducted by an independent polling company. 150 people, selected at random and representing a cross-section of Irish society, will be invited to participate in the assembly.

Chairperson Fiach Mac Conghail writes: "'We the Citizens' see this as a moment which gives Irish people the chance to help renew our Republic and to contribute to new models of citizen engagement." He is quoted in a press release for the launch as saying, "We will show that a bottom-up approach can support a better and more productive citizen engagement in creating public policy."

Caroline Erskine, who worked from 2002-2007 as Communications Director for the National Forum on Europe and in 2009 in the same role with Ireland for Europe, the citizens' campaign for a Yes vote in the second Lisbon referendum, is executive director of the initiative. An academic team comprising Professor David Farrell (UCD); Dr. Elaine Byrne (TCD); Dr Eoin O'Malley (DCU); and Dr Jane Suiter (UCC) will study both its process and outcomes.

As well as events around the country, online surveys will be used to "find out more about what the citizens of Ireland want."

This morning, Dr Byrne directed her Twitter followers to a piece she wrote for the Irish Times in February in which she cited citizens' initiatives in Iceland and Britain as examples of active democracy. Rejecting the idea that "the electoral system [is] the cause célèbre of every political malaise" she points out in that piece that the British Power2010 campaign found that reform of the electoral system was ranked a lowly 23rd in a list of proposals for reform drawn from online submissions by the public. Issues such as allowing voters to vote for 'none of the above' on ballot papers, increasing the number of issues decided by free votes, establishing a duty of public consultation on controversial matters through a deliberative process, and scheduling election day on a weekend all ranked higher.

You can participate in the first of the initiative's online surveys here. The public is invited to debate a number of topics ('What should the top three priorities be for our new government?'; 'Should we abolish, reform or leave the Seanad?'; 'Healthcare – should we concentrate on prevention?'; and 'Gender Quotas') in a 'Talk' forum hosted here. Details of events to be held in May and June in Kilkenny, Cork, Galway, Blanchardstown, Tallaght, Letterkenny and Athlone can be found here. You can sign up for an event online, and attendance is free for all.

[Image top via micn2sugars on Flickr]