‘Enormous’ task for citizens’ assembly

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy , the chair of the citizens’ assembly, has hailed a “hugely successful” first meeting to discuss the Eighth Amendment, but she said it was a “vast” challenge that “could overwhelm us”.

The assembly gathered for its first meeting in Dublin on Saturday morning and will hold three further meetings to consider the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, with the next due on January 7/8.

Ms Justice Laffoy also said that, to date, the assembly had received 600 submissions from members of the public, representative groups, and citizen organisations, on the topic of the Eighth Amendment, ahead of the closing date for receipt of submissions on December 16.