Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming in. I agree with the Minister that it is important for Members of the Oireachtas to respect the separation of powers. The three organs of government, the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive, must respect each other. Of course there are responsibilities on each of those organs as well to try to hold other organs to account. The reason we invited the Minister before the committee was because we, as members of the Legislature, want to hold the Executive to account for a decision that was made on 13 June last by the Executive. Fortunately, we will not be straying anywhere into the judicial arm of government in our questioning, nor should we.

In the time of the Minister in government, how many times has the Government nominated a lawyer to judicial office without that lawyer being recommended by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board?