The ongoing internal evolution of citizens’ assemblies in Ireland

Citizens’ assemblies have contributed to important political and constitutional change in Ireland since their inception in 2013. From the Constitutional Convention to the recently concluded CA on Drug Use, the model itself has undergone incremental evolution, although the governance structure has remained largely intact. This paper sets out to observe how the model has evolved, probing the kind of governance at play in the Irish Citizens' assemblies, including the role of the secretariat, the chair and the expert advisory group as well as the citizens. It questions the dynamics and political and citizen influences at play within the assemblies’ governance. It delves into the tradeoffs inherent in these evolutions, questioning how alterations in the assembly's structure may have influenced outcomes, the external perception of the process and the repercussions on policy. By examining trade-offs, this paper aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the governance dynamics within Ireland's citizens’ assemblies over time, offering insights into the delicate balance between evolution and stability which have shaped the process into what it is today.