Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My question is very much on promised legislation. It is on the whole debacle around recruitment to the Citizens' Assembly by the polling company RED C. At the outset, Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, whom I respect, was full of praise of how the people were recruited. However, we have now found huge flaws in the process. One recruiter recruited seven people who were personally known to him. It raises fundamental concerns about the Citizens' Assembly. Eleven counties, including my own, were excluded from it. How could that be fair or reasonable demographically? The Minister has a lot to answer for. This was the start of his charade. We then had the stuffed-up committee of the Oireachtas which got him his desired answer. The genie is out of the bottle. Without disrespect to any of the assembly's members, the way in which the membership was chosen was a stitch-up. It has been found out now. The hem has fallen down on the dress and needs more stitches. We need answers from Ms Justice Laffoy.

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