On the weekend of 30^th September, the Citizens Assembly will deliberate on the topic of ‘How the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change.’ This is a major opportunity for us to send a strong message to the State that climate change is an issue we really care about, and that we want the State to finally start taking it seriously.

The Citizen’s Assembly is a randomly selected group of 100 people, broadly representative of the Irish electorate, brought together to consider some of the most important issues facing Ireland’s future. Their conclusions and recommendations on the topics they discuss are sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas for further debate by our elected representatives. The Dáil resolution that established the Assembly states that the Government will respond to each recommendation of the Assembly’

Will you make a submission on climate action in Ireland?

What should I include?

You don’t have to be an expert on climate change to make a submission. The citizens reading the submissions won’t be experts either. The most important thing is to say why climate change matters to you personally and why you think it is an important issue for Ireland to tackle. Your submission should be in your own words and unique to you. It can be as short or as long, as detailed or as general as you wish.

You could tell the Assembly what changes you would like to see the state making on some, all or none of the following areas, or come up with your own list:

• · How we move around e.g. public transport, cars, cycling.
• · What we eat and how our food is produced.
• · How we light/heat our homes.
• · How we generate our energy.
• · How we deal with our waste.
• · How we cooperate with other countries dealing with the impacts of climate change.
• · How we support those being impacted by climate change at home and abroad.
• · How we plan for climate change.
• · Other areas that are important to you.

How do I make a submission? Go to the Citizens Assembly site here and follow the instructions, entering your contact info and your message to the Assembly in the comment box or upload your submission document.

What is the deadline? Submissions must be made by August 11^th. Postal submissions are also accepted (16 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, D01 X9Y2)

Can anyone make a submission? Yes, not just citizens of Ireland or those living in Ireland, anyone from anywhere can make a submission.