Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The members of his party who decided to join him in government are not contributing. They are not coming in and being wholesome and fulsome in their support of this. There are notable concerns coming from notable, independent commentators. There are notable concerns coming from the Judiciary, which we all acknowledge is wholly independent. They have written to the Taoiseach. Our party leader has asked the Taoiseach to make that letter available. I do not know whether the decision to publish that letter has been made. There is huge concern that this rushed legislation will do damage. The one thing I find a little interesting is there are times when the Minister, Deputy Ross, quotes independent experts. He quotes them for his own advantage but if any independent experts do not side with what he is saying, he brushes them aside as lobbyists. If there is such a will on his part to reform how the Judiciary is appointed, why has a Government, of which he is a very influential member, blocked Deputy O'Callaghan's Bill? It is a Bill that, as Deputy Penrose said, met wide approval. It came before the Dáil in October of last year and could have advanced to Committee Stage if the Government decided to sign the money bill. That did not happen. Where was the priority of reformation back then? Why did he not ensure this went through Committee Stage at that time?

I could not sleep the other night and I wondered what would bore me and put me to sleep so I went to Google and looked at some of the Minister, Deputy Ross's articles from the Sunday papers.

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