Background of The Citizens’ Assembly

The Citizens’ Assembly was established by a resolution approved by the Irish Parliament in July 2016, following a commitment made by the newly elected government in its Programme for Government. Its work concluded in the late spring of 2018. The Assembly followed the model of the 2012–2014 Irish Constitutional Convention, comprising 99 randomly selected citizens and an independent chair, a Supreme Court judge. A major change to the previous model was the removal of politicians from the membership, which was probably the result of a tradeoff which saw abortion included in the agenda. The Assembly was tasked with considering five key issues: abortion, the challenges and opportunities of an aging population, fixed-term parliaments, the manner in which referenda are held, and how the state could position Ireland as a leader in tackling climate change. These topics were chosen partly due to Fine Gael’s election commitments, international pressure and negotiations between coalition partners (Farrell et al., 2019). It functioned with the same key principles as the Convention: openness, fairness, equality of voice, efficiency, respect and collegiality.

The Citizens’ Assembly was established by a resolution of the Irish Parliament in July 2016 (The Citizens’ Assembly, n.d.), following a commitment in the newly elected government’s Programme for Government (here). Its work concluded in late spring 2018. Modeled on the 2012–2014 Irish Constitutional Convention, the Assembly comprised 99 randomly selected citizens and an independent chair, a Supreme Court judge. A key distinction from the previous model was the exclusion of politicians from the membership—the result of a tradeoff that facilitated the inclusion of abortion on the agenda.

The Assembly was tasked with examining five key issues: abortion, the challenges and opportunities of an aging population, fixed-term parliaments, the conduct of referenda, and Ireland’s role in addressing climate change. These topics were influenced by Fine Gael’s election pledges, international pressures, and coalition negotiations. Meetings were livestreamed, and public submissions were invited (Farrell et al., 2019). The Assembly was originally expected to complete its work within a year of its first meeting; however, this deadline was extended in October 2017 and again in March 2018, ultimately concluding on 27 April 2018 (The Citizens’ Assembly, n.d.). The government formally responded to each of the Assembly’s reports.

The Assembly was funded by the Department of the Taoiseach, with total costs reaching €2,355,557 by March 2019 (Department of the Taoiseach, 2019). It operated under the same guiding principles as the Convention: openness, fairness, equality of voice, efficiency, respect, and collegiality.

Fixed-term parliaments

In Ireland, the timing of general elections has historically been a matter of executive discretion, with the Taoiseach advising the President on the dissolution of the Dáil. This practice has raised concerns about electoral fairness, particularly in cases where early dissolutions appear to benefit the incumbent party. The proposal to introduce fixed term parliaments—where elections occur at set intervals unless specific criteria for early dissolution are met—has gained traction amid calls for increased political stability and transparency. The Citizens’ Assembly was asked to consider whether Ireland should adopt a system of fixed or semi-fixed parliamentary terms and, if so, how such a system might operate​.

Structure of the Convention

Membership selection

The Citizens’ Assembly was designed as a deliberative mini-public and consisted of 99 members who were selected randomly from the wider population. The selection process, conducted by the market research company RED C (RTE, 2016), was stratified across four demographic categories: sex, age, social class, and region. Recruitment involved door-to-door cold calling, ensuring that the final group reflected the diversity of Irish society. In addition to the primary members, 99 substitute members were also selected (Farrell et al., 2019).

Governance

Chairperson

The Chairperson was responsible for running the Convention and engaging necessary support services for its effective administration. As the main moderator, the Chairperson was selected by the Prime Minister (Taoiseach) and was independent. They had direction and control over the staff of the secretariat and other resources available, subject to the wishes of the Convention. The Chairperson also made recommendations on the management of business as needed.

Due to the controversial nature of the issue of abortion, the Citizens’ Assembly was chaired by a Supreme Court judge, protecting its deliberation and results from accusation of bias and safeguarding the impartiality of the proceedings.

Secretary and Secretariat

The Secretary and Secretariat were responsible for handling the logistics of the assembly, ensuring the smooth operation of the Convention. The assembly's secretariat was drawn from the Prime Minister’s (Taoiseach) Department.

Expert Advisory Panel

The Oireachtas resolution establishing the Assembly states that “an Expert Advisory Group will be established to assist the work of the Assembly in terms of preparing information and advice.” The Expert Advisory Group’s Terms of Reference are available here.

The main roles of the Expert Advisory Group included:

1. Supporting the Chair and Secretariat in constructing a fair, balanced, and comprehensive work programme for the Assembly on each topic.
2. Providing background expert advice on the issues being discussed.
3. Advising on the criteria for selecting specialists/experts to appear before the Assembly.
4. Recommending names for the specialists/experts to appear before the Assembly, for ratification by the Steering Group.
5. Working with the Chair and Secretariat to select speakers from civil society and advocacy groups.

The composition of the Expert Advisory Group changed during the lifetime of the Assembly, adapting to the topics under discussion.

The Citizens’ Assembly was supported by a dedicated Expert Advisory Group comprising constitutional lawyers, political scientists, and communications experts. For the fixed term parliaments topic, this group included Professor Oran Doyle (Trinity College Dublin), Professor Robert Elgie (Dublin City University), Professor John Garry (Queen’s University Belfast), Professor Kevin Rafter (Dublin City University), Dr Theresa Reidy (University College Cork), and Dr Rachael Walsh (Trinity College Dublin).

Steering Group

Following the rules and procedures, a Steering Group was formed to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Assembly, contributing to planning, coordinating logistical matters, and supporting the overall work programme. The group consisted of the Chairperson and a representative selection of Assembly Members, who were elected by their peers. Their Terms of Reference are available here.

Structure of plenary session

Proceedings

The Assembly considered fixed term parliaments over a single weekend on 14–15 April 2018. The sessions began with an overview of Ireland’s constitutional framework for dissolving parliament, followed by a history of political practice concerning early elections. Expert presentations examined international models of fixed, semi-fixed, and flexible terms, with examples from the UK, EU, and OECD countries. Speakers also discussed the pros and cons of reform in the Irish context, including implications for governance, electoral fairness, and political accountability. Deliberation took place in small groups, supported by printed materials and facilitator guidance. The draft ballot paper was finalised by Saturday evening, allowing members to vote on Sunday morning​.

Voting and ballots

Voting was held by secret ballot on 15 April 2018, overseen by an independent returning officer. Members agreed on the ballot content through a collaborative drafting process. The results showed strong support for reform:

1. 51% voted to change the current constitutional position on dissolution.
2. 59% favoured a fixed four-year term.
3. 95% supported a fixed term that could be cut short under certain conditions.
4. Regarding early dissolution, 84% said the President should approve it; 70% backed requiring a supermajority in the Dáil; 66% supported requiring Cabinet approval; and 52% supported requiring a simple Dáil majority.
5. The Assembly rejected the idea of an absolutely fixed term that cannot be shortened under any circumstances

Recommendation and Government response

Following its deliberations, the Citizens’ Assembly recommended that Ireland should reform its approach to parliamentary terms by moving to a semi-fixed model. Under this model, general elections would occur at predetermined intervals—most likely every four years—but provisions would exist to allow for early dissolution under clearly defined conditions. This system was favoured as a way to balance the need for political stability with the flexibility to respond to exceptional circumstances, such as a loss of parliamentary confidence in the government.

The Assembly strongly endorsed the idea that the power to call an early election should not rest solely with the Taoiseach. Instead, it recommended that early dissolution should require a combination of procedural safeguards, including:

1. Approval by the President of Ireland.
2. Support from a supermajority in the Dáil (two-thirds or more).
3. Cabinet-level agreement on the necessity of dissolution.
4. A formal vote in the Dáil, with at least a simple majority.

These conditions were not meant to be cumulative, but rather formed a menu of mechanisms that the Oireachtas could select and combine through legislation or constitutional amendment. The goal was to prevent partisan or opportunistic use of dissolution powers while retaining democratic responsiveness.

In addition to the core recommendation on fixed terms, the Assembly called for a public information campaign and Oireachtas debate to ensure widespread understanding and support for any proposed changes. Members also stressed the importance of aligning any reforms with broader electoral and constitutional changes under consideration, such as those related to the Electoral Commission and referendum processes.

Government response

The government did not issue a formal follow-up to the Assembly’s recommendations on fixed term parliaments. Although the topic had been introduced to the political agenda via a private member’s bill in 2015, there has been little momentum since the Assembly’s report. As of the time of writing, the constitutional provisions governing parliamentary dissolution remain unchanged. The limited engagement with the Assembly’s recommendations has been noted by observers as indicative of a broader pattern, where topics deemed less politically urgent receive minimal attention.

Analysis and Lessons Learned

See Also

References

The Citizens’ Assembly, 2018. Fourth and Fifth Reports of the Citizens’ Assembly: The Manner in Which Referenda Are Held and Fixed Term Parliaments. Dublin: The Citizens’ Assembly. Available at: https://2016-2018.citizensassembly.ie/en/What-We-Have-Discussed/

External Links

Notes