THERE WILL BE a referendum held on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution next year.

The issues surrounding abortion laws have never been easy ones for Irish politics or society, described succinctly as divisive by most commentators.

Today, the process for what that referendum could look like continues with the first public sitting of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment.

The committee, which has 22 members, will be deliberating on the next steps for Ireland’s abortion laws following the recommendations made by the Citizens’ Assembly.

The committee will meet publicly every Wednesday for the next nine weeks, hearing from a cross-section of experts on the legal and medical arguments around abortion, before delivering a report to the Oireachtas on its recommendations.

We want to ensure you are informed and kept up-to-date ahead of any 2018 vote.

Every Wednesday evening, TheJournal.ie will be sending out an email round-up of what happened at the committee that day.

The email will cover key witnesses, quotes and happenings, and will be the handiest way to stay informed about one of the most significant stories of the year.

To get the weekly round-up, just enter your email in the box below.