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

They would not be seeking to introduce window dressing by way of statute that gives the impression that there will be reform.

It is right that a Government should nominate judges for appointment. At least a Government may be thrown out of office. I would be very concerned about giving the full power of appointment to a judicial appointments commission appointed by the great and the good after competitions by the Public Appointments Service. How does one get rid of its members? The benefit of having the Government appoint people to the Bench is that if one does not like that Government's decisions, one can throw its members out of government.