Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am only in here seven years, which is probably seven years too long. I still do not understand how the system works. It is not true to say my amendment would result in a cost to the Exchequer. I strongly disagree with that. I have appealed to the Ceann Comhairle and he said if my amendment does not come up until next week he will look at it again and that is fair enough.

I am inclined to support Deputy O'Callaghan's amendment No. 11. That amendment would not incur a cost to the Exchequer. My amendment provides for seven judicial members and seven lay members and the 14 would pick their own chairman. The committee was determined to come up with something that was better than what we had. We wanted to take the political paws out of the equation a bit more.

The Judiciary, in its preliminary submission to the Department on the legislation, said that radical improvement is required with regard to judicial appointments and not a tinkering around the edges of the current process. They acknowledge that we need to do things better.

I cannot help feeling that the fact that the amendments tabled by me and Deputy Clare Daly were thrown out means that we are being thrown back into having to bring the Attorney General back into the equation. That is where Fianna Fáil is going to be driven. Sinn Féin will not support it as there will be no lay majority, but perhaps it is a done deal. I do not know what goes on behind the scenes between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

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