Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is now clear that in August 2001 the Garda Síochána had information from Interpol concerning details of alleged customers of a company offering access to child pornography websites and that the name of Brian Curtin was included in that information.

On 25 May of this year, the Taoiseach informed me that Mr. Curtin was appointed a judge on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, of which the then Attorney General, now Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, was a member. It is clear from section 14 of the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995 that the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board has the power to consult persons concerning applicants' suitability for appointment as judges. Will the Taoiseach inform me whether the board consulted the Garda before JudgeCurtin's appointment? If the answer to that question is "No", does that not mean there is a major shortfall in the operation of that board when recommending such sensitive and critical appointments? If contact was made, it appears likely that the appointment of Judge Curtin would not have happened and we would not now face uncharted constitutional territory before a committee of the Houses. Will the Taoiseach comment on that and has he moved to address this serious lapse in procedures?

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