The Citizens’ Assembly has agreed to meet for an additional weekend on the second topic of dealing with Ireland's ageing population.

The Assembly will now meet on the 10th and 11th of June, and the 8th and 9th of July to consider the topic: ‘How we respond to the Challenges and Opportunities of an Ageing Population’.

This follows a recommendation by the Chair of the Assembly Ms Justice Mary Laffoy that an additional weekend would be required to allow full consideration of the topic.

The final date for submissions on the topic is Friday the 19th of May and Justice Laffoy is urging members of the public, representative groups and citizen organisations to make a submission to the Assembly on the topic.

Following consideration, the conclusions and recommendations of the Assembly members will form the basis of a report submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas for further debate.

Justice Laffoy said: “Ireland’s ageing population brings implications for policy, service delivery, and long-term planning in diverse areas such as health, long-term care, independence, participation, and inclusion.

"As the Secretariat and I began to develop the work programme for the June weekend meeting we concluded that an additional weekend would be necessary to give this topic due consideration.

"I am confident that this will be to the absolute benefit of the members and ultimately to the quality of the recommendations they will be asked to make. "

All documents received by the Assembly secretariat may be listed on the website.

Submissions can be made online at www.citizensassembly.ie or by post to -

Citizens Assembly,

16 Parnell Square,

Dublin 1

- to arrive no later than 19th of May 2017.

The Assembly met for five weekends on the topic of the Eighth Amendment. The recommendations of the members will form the basis of a report due to be submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas in June 2017.