Supreme Court judge Mary Laffoy has been appointed as chairperson of the citizen’s convention.

Ms Laffoy is a former chair of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, who won widespread praise when she resigned her position in 2003 amid claims of a lack of government co-operation.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has informed his Cabinet colleagues of the name this morning.

The citizens’ assembly will shortly begin examining the Eighth Amendment and will be assisted in its work by an expert advisory group.

The 100-member assembly will also be asked to invite and accept submissions from interested bodies and can seek additional expert advice that it deems necessary.

This assembly will be asked to examine the Eighth Amendment, which places the life of the unborn on an equal footing to the life of a mother, Ireland’s ageing population, fixed term parliaments and the manner in which referenda are held.

The first item to be discussed will be the amendment and its conclusions will be forwarded to an Oireachtas committee.

The assembly chair will be appointed by the Government and the other 99 will be randomly selected.

All matters will be determined by a majority of the votes of members present and voting, other than the chair who will have the casting vote if required.

The Government will be required to provide a response to each recommendation of the assembly and, if accepting the recommendation, indicate the timeframe it envisages for the holding of any related referendum