Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, on his new appointment. I know that he will do a good job as he was junior spokesperson in the justice position several years ago.

I congratulate our justice spokesperson, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, on bringing forward his legislation which also proposes the establishment of a judicial appointments commission. The Government’s Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 will change the way judges are appointed. A new body, the judicial appointments commission, will replace the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, originally established under the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995. Serving judges applying to another judicial position will have to apply through the judicial appointments commission. It will be made up of 13 members with a lay majority and lay chair. It will be responsible for recommending a maximum of three candidates per judicial vacancy to the Minister for Justice and Equality. It will replace the current system where between seven to 20 names are submitted to the Minister. The Bill provides that certain legal academics who have professional legal qualifications will be eligible to apply for judicial office. The Bill establishes in law that judicial appointments will be based on merit. An obligation to review the judicial appointments commission is included in the Bill. The Bill’s operation must be reviewed by the judicial procedure committee of the judicial appointments commission and the Minister for Justice and Equality.

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