Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I beg your indulgence, a Cheann Comhairle, to sympathise briefly with all the families of those who lost their lives at the Boston marathon and all those who were injured by the barbaric terrorist atrocity yesterday. We heard on the news this morning how an eight year old boy lost his life just after hugging his father who had successfully completed the marathon, and whose sister lost a limb. Nothing illustrates more clearly the barbaric and inhumane nature of this act than that alone. We wish the United States authorities every speed in bringing those responsible for this heinous crime to justice as soon as possible. We have a deep cultural link with the United States and I am sure we would all agree with the sentiment in this House.

To return to matters on the home front, I say to the Taoiseach that we should understand that we are in the midst of an unprecedented, unseemly and nasty row between two arms of government, namely, the Judiciary and the Government itself which goes to the very heart of the democratic system and society that we have and that we have cherished since the foundation of the State. There is an onus and obligation on the Government to reflect on the unprecedented nature of the comments that have been made by members of the Judiciary on the breakdown of any form of communication, be it formal or informal, between the Government, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Judiciary itself.

Quite a number of senior justices have sincerely articulated their deep concerns about trends and initiatives that have been undertaken by the Minister. I put it to the Taoiseach that it is unacceptable to attempt to demonise the members of the Judiciary, to undermine them, their status and their role and to do so on a false basis, which has occurred in recent days.

A wide range of issues has given rise to the row that has broken out, to the breakdown of relations between the Minister, the Government and the Judiciary. At the heart of it is a strong belief among members of the Judiciary that, brick by brick, its independence is being torn down. That is something which should give cause for reflection to every Member of this House. It puts a particular onus on the Government to reflect on that and to change course. As we are aware, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has great self-belief.

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