A GROUP OF PEOPLE from around Europe are gathering in Dublin Castle this weekend for a citizens’ panel preparing recommendations around the economy and jobs. 

Citizens’ Assemblies in Ireland and other EU countries sparked inspiration for these citizens’ panels.

Four panels – each with 200 people – have examined topics like climate change and European democracy over the past few months.

The panel in Dublin is focused on the economy, social justice and jobs, education, culture, youth and sport and digital transformation. 

The other topics looked at European democracy and security, climate change and health, and EU in the world/migration.

This weekend’s panel will be hosted by the Institute for International and European Affairs in Dublin Castle.

The panelists will attend a number of events across the weekend including a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. The panel in Dublin will vote on a host of recommendations tomorrow. 

An EU official said the panel process will enter a new phase after this session where the recommendations are turned into proposals to be discussed at an EU plenary session. 

The official said that 130 recommendations have been completed so far throughout these citizen panels.

Panelists in Dublin yesterday took a picture with the Ukrainian flag to show solidarity with people in Ukraine following Russia’s attack.

🇺🇦 Dublin today. The European Citizens Panel showing solidarity with the people of #Ukraine

We #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇮🇪#CoFoE pic.twitter.com/bhua3IEbPH

— Frances Fitzgerald MEP (@FitzgeraldFrncs) February 25, 2022

Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said it’s “fantastic” that this panel is taking place in Dublin. 

“As one of the European Parliament’s representatives to the Conference, I am looking forward to fully engaging with the many recommendations that are being made by the Citizens’ Panels during the next meeting of the Conference in Strasbourg.

“I hope that we can all work together to draw conclusions from the Conference with concrete actions that meet the desires and aspirations of all of the people of Europe.”

Four Irish citizens are among the participants this weekend.

Ireland has conducted a number of citizens’ assemblies on issues like the Eighth Amendment to the constitution, climate change and gender equality. 

The European Parliament chair to the Conference on the Future of Europe, Guy Verhofstadt, previously said: “This is not a listening exercise to citizens, this is citizens participating in a decision-making process.”

800 EU citizens (16 from Ireland) were chosen randomly to partake in the panels. They are said to be representative in terms of country, gender, socioeconomic background and education.

At least one-third of the participants are also under the age of 25. 

Each panel picks 20 representatives to showcase their recommendations to politicians.