Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. The Government is absolutely not dragging its heels on this. The PIC report was published last September. We anticipated that this would be done by the end of 2018. That did not happen. Deputy Pearse Doherty highlighted the filibuster that has taken place. The Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 was originally ahead of the Judicial Council Bill 2017. It was not unreasonable for the Minister for Justice and Equality to proceed in line with how that legislation had progressed in the Seanad. However there has been very little comment on the filibuster behind which this legislation got stuck. Were it not for that filibuster, this would already be completed and the Judiciary would be doing its work right now.