The impact of the Leave vote in the EU Referendum has far reaching implications for the direction of our nation and the Assembly. Wales and the Assembly will need to have a strong voice and be at the table of any future discussions about the future of the UK.
Specifically, Welsh interests and concerns must be taken on board through the coming months including the EU level negotiations and within the UK. The current constitutional structures and UK internal arrangements are not sufficiently robust or formalised to do this – there need to be new, stronger and more formalised processes put in place both at inter-governmental level and at inter-parliamentary level.
I expect that the Assembly, in particular through the committees to be established next week, will subject this to rigorous scrutiny.
We as political leaders, and the media need to reflect on the state of democratic engagement and political discourse amongst people in Wales.
Widening respectful, meaningful democratic engagement is one of my top priorities as Presiding Officer.