The Citizens’ Assembly

Sir, – How can 99 private individuals possibly be representative of over three million registered voters?

It’s worth emphasising that the Citizens’ Assembly’s predecessor – the constitutional convention – proposed the most unpopular constitutional amendment in the history of the State.

On May 22nd, 2015, some 1.4 million citizens voted against reducing the age for presidential candidates. No amendment originating in Dáil Éireann has ever provoked anything like the No landslide we saw that day.

Our 158 TDs are elected to represent us. They should take ownership of contentious social issues and get on with any necessary referendums, cutting out the waffle shops altogether. – Yours, etc,

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RONAN SCANLAN,

Leopardstown, Dublin 18.

Sir, – Where is the balance in a “Citizens’ Assembly” when it is comprised of 99 people and yet there are 12 signs of the zodiac? – Yours, etc,

EUGENE TANNAM,

Firhouse,

Dublin 24.