Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78)

Ireland Day led by University College Dublin as part of the Science Summit at UNGA78 brings
international experts together at the Irish Permanent Mission to the United Nations to discuss the
important role of research and collaboration in attaining the UN SDGs and examine how Ireland is
contributing to these global objectives in Achieving Sustainable and Equitable Food Systems,
Deliberative Democracies and Health Cooperation Post Conflict.

Prof. David Farrell, Chair of Politics, University College Dublin and Chair of the European Consortium
for Political Research in conversation with Tom Arnold, Chair of the Convention on the Constitution
in Ireland and moderated by Triona McCormack, Director of Research, University College Dublin.

Citizens assemblies are becoming an increasingly well-used approach across the globe and many countries are making significant advances in further developing the model – with great success. In Ireland the citizens’ assembly is an effective tool bringing the public into debates surrounding constitutional and political reform. When used correctly, they can be a powerful tool for change.
Ireland is seen as a trailblazer in this space underpinning referenda linked to significant constitutional change such as marriage equality as well as a national policy on biodiversity.

In a conversation with Tom Arnold, Chair of the Convention on the Constitution in Ireland, Prof. David Farrell, Chair of Politics in University College Dublin will share insights from the genesis of this project in Ireland, moderated by Triona McCormack, Director of Research, University College Dublin.
Linked to the 2008 financial and economic meltdown and the resulting anger over failings in the Irish political system he worked with a group of political scientists proposing that citizens should be brought into the heart of debates over constitutional and political reforms to improve how Ireland’s representative system of democracy operates.

Persuaded by the case made, the Irish Government established the Irish Constitutional Convention (2012-14) and Ireland developed its model of deliberative democracy to develop citizens’ assemblies on important topics like biodiversity and gender equality. Tom Arnold, Chair of the Convention on the Constitution in Ireland will join David in also discussing what this approach can tell us about how to drive policy and legislative change in our
societies, particularly in the face of challenges to trust and truth at the heart of the global social system. They will also highlight learnings from other models of deliberative democracies taking shape internationally and reflect on the significance for democracy of processes like this.