Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I certainly have no difficulty with pre-European Council statements. I think they are the absolute norm and this is a particularly important meeting of the Council. We discuss this matter virtually every day during Leaders' Questions and we have had very good interactions in respect of preparing the ground for these matters. However, I have always been of the view that getting the right start for this country is critical and, as I indicated yesterday, I am concerned.

I want to ask about legislation. We have had much discussion in recent times about oversight and accountability in policing in Ireland, but the Taoiseach will recall that we have had an equally long set of discussions in respect of accountability in the context of the administration of justice in our courts. We have long been promised a judicial council Bill. In fact, if I recall, heads of the Bill were published as far back as 2009. We still have not got that legislation. I am aware that there is parallel legislation on the appointment of judges which is before the justice committee. We still have not seen the heads of that Bill. We have a scheme from Government and we have proposals from the Fianna Fáil party on that Bill that still have to emerge from that committee but, parallel to that, where does the judicial council Bill stand? I presume it is going to be separate legislation.

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