An independent commission dedicated to tracking democracy in Ireland has been established.
The former President and recent UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, and the general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Mr David Begg, are to take on the challenge of "reinventing democracy for 21st Ireland".
The commission is a joint initiative of the independent think-tank, tasc, and Democratic Dialogue, the Northern Ireland think-tank, It is mainly funded by The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.
The project will run for two years, and aims to tackle concerns regarding the "adequacy of inherited democratic arrangements in Ireland". Mrs Robinson will act as international counsellor, and Mr Begg will chair the commission.
Ms Paula Clancy, director of tasc, welcomed Mrs Robinson's and Mr Begg's involvement.
"Mary Robinson has long provided a voice for the voiceless. Her commitment to making total human rights a priority is at the core of what this commission is about," she said yesterday. Tasc said that the conclusions of the commission would "provide an agenda for policy-makers and non-governmental organisations alike".