The Oireachtas committee that will consider the report of the Citizens' Assembly that is currently examining the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution will most likely be set up along the lines of the special committee considering water charges.
That committee has 20 members across all Leinster House groupings and has a chair independent of the main parties.
The Oireachtas business committee, which met today, will have to decide whether the proposed committee will be a dedicated stand alone body, or whether the current health committee can be expanded to include all groupings.
The Leinster House authorities have expressed reservations about the administrative capacity to service a stand alone committee if it is established before the other special committees considering the future of the health service and water charges respectively have completed their work.
The Citizens' Assembly began meeting in October. It was set up to consider several topics, including the Eighth Amendment, the ageing population, fixed term parliaments, referendums and climate change.
It is made up of 99 citizens and is chaired by Ms Justice Mary Laffoy.
It held the first of four weekend-long sittings devoted to the Eighth Amendment in late November.
