Before making the education policy adjustments which had become
essential due to low pupil turnout, the Department of Education
in Northern Ireland sought to pay attention to the views of the
parents. The goal was to create the required new rules within an
atmosphere of cooperation. To attain this cooperation, a
deliberative poll was held in Omagh, Northern Ireland in January
2007. 565 randomly selected parents were polled and then invited
to Omagh College for a day of deliberation. 127 participants
were given briefing materials on education policy. The Irish
Constitutional Convention of 2013 is “a new venture in
participative democracy in Ireland tasked with considering
certain aspects of the Constitution to ensure that it is fully
equipped for the 21st Century”.