Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you for your contribution, Mr. Cahill. I totally agree with you on the point about judicial references. It has been a bizarre oversight, both for legal professional independence and judicial independence. It has been very curious over time. On the procedural point, although, arguably, it could always have been done under the current arrangements, the Law Society has been totally consistent on the need for representation of solicitors, and they have been an important counterpoint to the "being known" phenomenon that has operated for many years within the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board for lack of other procedures to identify whether people were appropriate.

We move to the Bar of Ireland. I call Ms McNally.