Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

My party welcomes this proposal and we intend to support it while recognising the importance to democracy of an independent Judiciary. A judge's role is onerous and without parallel in society. He or she must, to some extent, live at a remove from the rest of society. I was disappointed by some of the political posturing in evidence on the Government benches. The comments about big wigs and the other derogatory terms used are ill-becoming of Members of the Oireachtas, regardless of their parties. This is a constitutional issue which needs to be resolved in a manner which is open and does not undermine the important role that judges play.

Many judges have already made voluntary contributions in recognition of our current economic circumstances. Reference has been made to savings of €5.5 million and perhaps the Minister can indicate whether this figure is additional to the voluntary contributions that have already been made or if it includes them.

Some elements of the Government's spin machine have sought to portray this referendum as a ground-breaking initiative to show the people that tough decisions are being taken. However, while these claims are more about political posturing than anything else, it is right that judges be treated as equitably as other sectors of society. I am somewhat disappointed but we must take the Constitution as it stands. Given that judges' pay increased in line with other public servants, it is ludicrous that it cannot be reduced accordingly without undermining the Judiciary. I am not a lawyer but my layman's reading of the Constitution leads me to understand that it would become problematic if a Government sought to interfere with the pay of an individual judge or a group of judges.

I was taken aback by Deputy O'Donovan's comments in regard to what he described as a convulsion over the severance package for a senior civil servant who retired last week. I remind the Deputy that he is now a Member of the Oireachtas, which makes him party to the decision making process. He is no longer in a position to make county councillor outbursts that have no effect.

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