Ms Maura McNally:

At present, it would be the JAAB. I must hold my hand up and say that I sit on the JAAB, but I do so purely from my position as chair of the Bar of Ireland. That is similarly the case with Mr. Cahill who sits on the JAAB. We are on the advisory council. It would be up to the chair of the JAAB, who at present is the Chief Justice, to appoint a committee, either the entire committee to hold an interview or persons in that committee. Personally, if it was down to me, if there was to be an interview I would recommend that if a person was applying for the Circuit Court then the president of the Circuit Court should be one of the persons on the interviewing committee because that person knows exactly what it is that he or she is looking for in a candidate, the kind of experience required, the practice and procedure and whether the person has the correct temperament or answers the questions that would indicate correct temperament, etc. It is down to the Chief Justice.