Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Jennifer Carroll MacNeillJennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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.