Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has asked me a direct question about the personal injuries committee. The answer is that we expect the Chief Justice to have more to say about the judges designate next week. That is where we are. The Judiciary has agreed to operate informally. The law is clear. Outside of this informal operation, it cannot operate at all until all of the committees under the judicial council are in place. None of us wants that. I have agreed with the Judiciary and the Chief Justice that they will operate informally. We will have judges designate, who will later form the committee. The committee will, as I have said, be established pretty soon. The Chief Justice will have more to say on this matter next week. With regard to the involvement of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and the Government, it will then fall to those justices and will be out of the Government's hands. The Oireachtas and the Government will have done our work. It will then fall to those seven members of the Judiciary to recalibrate the guidelines.

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