Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In answering Deputy Joe Higgins's questions the Government has failed to see the point. We cannot pass judgment on the actual criteria used yet because we have not seen them. However, the problem is fundamental and it is this what the Taoiseach should be tackling. It is the fact that since the foundation of the State, the Minister has had the ultimate responsibility and Ministers, from whatever party, have continuously abused their right to patronage. There is absolutely no reason to believe that by setting new criteria, this abuse will not continue. This sounds suspiciously like the way judges are appointed. In a similar situation - over which a Government fell in the past - a body called the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board was set up. It is known in the Law Library as "JABs for the boys". It was cosmetic legislation to fool the public as camouflage that something was changing in the appointment of judges. Nothing has changed. We still get nominees from a board and the Minister has the responsibility. Ministers from all sides have continuously abused that responsibility by appointing their cronies to the Judiciary.

See this speech in context