First meeting of Citizen’s Assembly to take place on 15 October

The first meeting of the Citizen’s Assembly, which will consider issues including the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, will take place on Saturday 15 October, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has announced.

Mr Kenny said the assembly could report back within six to seven months.

The assembly, comprised of 99 members and Chairperson Judge Mary Laffoy will meet for up to ten weekends.

It will discuss issues including, but not limited to, abortion and fixed parliaments.

The assembly will issue a report on each issue as it concludes discussion, with the report on the Eighth Amendment to be referred to an All Party Oireachtas Committee on completion.

Each session will hear presentations from experts, Q&A sessions and debate, roundtable discussion and a plenary session.

Red C Research and Marketing Ltd has been awarded the contract to find a representative 99 members of the public, plus substitutes.