Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am trying to get the Minister to his senses. He is a solicitor by profession and has generally carried out his ministerial duties with aplomb. He has been dignified but it is totally undignified for any Government of Ireland, particularly Fine Gael, to line up with Sinn Féin on the whim of one Independent Deputy to change the way our Judiciary is appointed. I urge them to stop, to hold back and pause. I understand the Committee on Justice and Equality, in its wisdom, has paused this.

This is a branch of our Government. It is an authority which is separate but equal. It can overrule our legislation, can imprison people and can interpret legislation. It can create new rights and has done over the years, sometimes in a very welcome way and sometimes not. If we do not like the rights they create or recognise under the Constitution, there can always be a referendum as the ultimate arbiter. The Government is denigrating the Judiciary with this Bill and Members sitting behind the Ministers have spoken about it.

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