Press Release – For immediate release
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Ireland’s independent human rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has welcomed the announcement that draft proposals for the constitutional convention will be published shortly. However, the Council has stressed that the Government should consult widely on the proposed “architecture” of the convention.
ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“Changing the constitution should never be done lightly, so it is essential that there be proper consultation about the makeup of the new constitutional convention. Consultation on the nature and composition of the constitutional review body should be participative, informed, accessible and open. Any perception that arrangements for the convention are being cooked up between political parties behind closed doors could undermine the public trust towards politicians which will be needed if future constitutional referenda are to succeed.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Walter Jayawardene
Communications Manager
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel. + 353 1 799 4504
Mob: +353 87 9981574
E-mail: walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie