Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the issue that the Deputy raises, it is important when an election is over that the judgment given by the people is then considered carefully to see is it possible to put a government together. It took some time to put this one together last year. It is a Government of the Fine Gael Party supported by the Independent Alliance, a number of Independents in Cabinet and some others outside, and of course, the main Opposition party, Fianna Fáil, in respect of a confidence and supply agreement.

Part of the discussions that took place at the outset was about a change in the way that members of the Judiciary are appointment. Deputy Nolan will appreciate that the Constitution is clear in that the Government makes the appointments and the Cabinet must have choices when making those appointments.

Part of the discussions with the Independent Alliance was about the nature of that structure. As the Deputies are aware, the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, JAAB, has been around for quite a number of years. That board assesses the credentials, legal experience and the kinds of cases that candidates may have heard to determine their suitability for appointment to the District Court, Circuit Court, High Court, Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. What was approved yesterday by Government was the Judicial Appointments Bill which will now proceed through the Houses and hopefully become law this year. The other Bill in respect of the conduct and the oversight of conduct by members of the Judiciary is the Judicial Council Bill.

This does not represent a Minister stepping outside his brief. In this case, the Minister, Deputy Ross, working with his group of Deputies, said that this was an issue that they considered to be very important. It became a focus of discussion between the parties in terms of including it in the programme for Government. That is why it is there in the published document. In the case of Waterford, this was not an issue that came out of the blue suddenly. There was a very particular letter issued by the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, which had been considered very carefully by the medical personnel in Waterford. The Minister has responded with a mobile unit providing cardiac facilities in Waterford.

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