Former Cork judge dismisses Citizens’ Assembly as daft

Mr Pattwell, writing in today’s Evening Echo, criticised the semi-secretive and undemocratic assembly that will steer the debate on one of the most important issues in Irish life.

The Assembly — made up of a chairperson and 99 randomly selected citizens, chosen by market research and polling company Red C — will reach a consensus on the Eighth Amendment, which gives effect to Ireland’s abortion laws, and then send its recommendations to Government.

Mr Pattwell said: “This is absolutely and totally undemocratic. We already have two citizens’ assemblies that were elected democratically by all of us. We have the Dáil and we have the Seanad.

“How dare they do a merry dance that avoids the responsibilities that they were elected to undertake. We reduced the number of TDs in the Dáil from 166 to 158. Then the government secretly appoints another 100 to do the work that the 158 are supposed to do.”