Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan today made an order under the Referendum Act 1998 establishing the Referendum Commission.
The Chief Justice has nominated the Miss Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan as commission chairwoman.
The other members of the commission are Comptroller and Auditor General Seamus McCarthy, Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, Clerk of the Dáil Kieran Coughlan and Clerk of the Seanad Deirdre Lane.
The commission is an independent statutory tasked with preparing a statement containing a general explanation of the referendum proposal which will be distributed to the electorate. It will also promote awareness of the referendum and encourage the electorate to vote.