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

If I may clarify a point made by Mr. Herrick, it was a judicially dominated body that changed the practice to making that list very long but, fortunately, that was changed back in 2014. I have been criticising the judicial appointments selection process for nearly 20 years and have argued for a range of different reforms, but I have never criticised the independence of the Judiciary. I have argued that a judge-led system has been incapable of formalising the process in the way in respect of which I have argued regarding accountability, transparency and professionalism. We are on the same page in the context of many aspects of this but I had to push Mr. Herrick on the independence point because it is very important in light of the ICCL's standing and the standing of this committee.