A polling company is being sought to select the 99 voters who will make up the citizens’ assembly which is due to convene in October.

Another 99 “shadow” members will also be selected to stand in if any of the original selection have to drop out.

The citizens’ assembly will look at a number of issues including the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees the equal right to life of the unborn and the mother.

The Department of the Taoiseach yesterday put out a tender for a polling company to select the members of the assembly.

The tender asked for proposals from “skilled and experienced suppliers” to provide the names, address and contact details of 99 members of the public plus 99 substitutes who are willing to act as members of the assembly.

Chosen at random

According to the tender document the members of the assembly should be chosen at random and representative of society as regards age, gender, social class, regional spread etc and should also be on the electoral register to vote in a referendum.

Shortly before they adjourned for the summer recess in July the Dáil and Seanad approved the establishment of the citizens’ assembly with a mandate to look at five specific issues.

They are the Eighth Amendment; how best to respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population; fixed-term parliaments; the manner in which referendums are held; and how the state can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change.

Other matters

The assembly will also be asked to consider such other matters as may be referred to it.

It will first make a report and recommendation on the abortion issue and will complete consideration of the remaining items within one year from the date of its first meeting.

The closing date for tenders is August 19th.

The Department is also seeking tenders from suitable hotels to provide weekend accommodation and conference facilities for approximately 120 people for the citizens’ assembly.

The tender document says it is envisaged that the citizens’ assembly will be holding up to 10 weekend (all-day Saturday and until mid-afternoon on Sunday) conference-style meetings, averaging one a month, over a period of a year commencing in October 2016.

The closing date for this tender is August 26th.