TCD JS Irish Politics class & TCD Department of Political Science
with The Joint Committee on the Constitution of the Houses of the Oireachtas
Public consultation @ the Public Theatre (Exam Hall) Trinity College Dublin Tuesday, February 2nd @ 7pm. Ticket only event, places limited, please rsvp at tcdirishpols@gmail.com Directions.
The Department of Political Science will co-host a public consultation on electoral reform with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. This is the first time in Trinity’s history that a fully constituted Oireachtas Committee will have sat in Trinity. The formal session of this meeting will be on the official report of the Oireachtas.
The first part of the evening will consist of the submissions, presentations and interaction with the twelve cross-party members of the Oireachtas Committee by the students. Only the Irish Politics students will be making a formal submission.
The second part of the evening will be a panel discussion on electoral reform chaired by honorary Trinity fellow Dr. John Bowman, joined by Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, Professor Ken Benoit, head of the Department of Political Science, Senator Ivana Bacik, Trinity Fellow, Seán Ardagh, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, Jim O’Keeffe, Vice Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, The Hon. Mr. Justice Frank Clarke and contributions from the audience.
Senator Bacik’s contribution to the Joint Oireachtas Committee
Minister Dempsey’s contribution to the Joint Oireachtas Committee
Prof Benoit’s contribution to the Joint Oireachtas Committee
You are invited to a reception afterwards hosted by the Department of Political Science in the GMB (Graduate Memorial Building)
Irish Politics Forum 
It seems that we need to return somewhat to the old system of Irish government where laws were debated and voted on by the public.
When deficiencies in law are pointed out to the government, changes
placing the power in another body of government or the ultimate in job creation “expert panel- appointed by the government” are enacted
rather than the actually reform of making people in government
provide proof and accountable evidence.
The only way to reform Ireland is to found a community forum to re-write our laws. We have enough highly educated and intelligent people in the country to be expert in all elements.
I think the political reform Ireland forum is an excellent idea, and would be a wonderful thing to put to our politicians at the next election.
Then we may get what we want rather than the political fudges.