Sitting judge could chair Citizens’ Assembly on Eighth Amendment

A sitting judge could be appointed to chair the Citizens’ Assembly which will look at issues including the Eighth Amendment.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has brought a memo to Cabinet to set up the Assembly, which will require the approval of the Dáil.

It is expected that the assembly could hold its first meeting by November. It will sit for around a year to 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.

The Irish Times reports that Mr Kenny may support appointing a member of the judiciary as a chair in order to satisfy calls for a judge-led inquiry rather than a Citizens’ Assembly.

Fianna Fáil is among opposition parties that had called for a judge-led process rather than a citizen-led one.