Recruitment of 99 members of the public to serve on the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality is now reaching its final stages.
Amárach Research is currently recruiting members for the Assembly across the Munster region, including in Co. Clare.
The first meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly will take place in Dublin Castle later this month on January 25th. It is anticipated that the Assembly will then hold approximately five further meetings on the matter of gender equality before the summer to consider the issue, and then make recommendations to the Oireachtas.
Catherine Day, who will chair the Assembly said: “Our gender affects every aspect of our daily lives. The Citizens’ Assembly will be an exciting opportunity for citizens from different parts of Ireland and all walks of life to make their views known on a wide range of issues. No special knowledge is required. We want to hear what people really think and my role will be to ensure that all points of view are heard in a respectful and open atmosphere. That is why I encourage anyone who is approached as part of the random selection process to consider joining us.”
Amárach Research is selecting citizens by calling door to door in a method similar to that used in selection of the previous Citizens’ Assembly. Amárach Research will select 99 Members who are registered to vote and broadly representative of demographic variables as reflected in the Census including age, gender, social class and regional spread.
Politicians, officers in political parties, journalists, employees of polling companies and members of advocacy groups active in the area of gender equality are not eligible to serve on the Assembly.
Sixty different sampling points across the State have been selected using Census Data and the HP Deprivation Index which is considered to be one of the most robust methods for classifying areas based on socio-economic variables. Random starting addresses were selected and using a random pattern interviewers are calling to homes and inviting residents to participate taking account of the socio-economic variables required. The door-to-door approach is the method that was used to select the previous Citizens’ Assembly and ensures that those selected are broadly representative of the public.
There will then be a two-stage validation process to rescreen and ensure the integrity of the selection process.