Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach and the Government are denying a request by the Opposition, virtually in its entirety, for the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, to present to make a statement and to take questions relating to the process surrounding the appointment of a justice to the Supreme Court benches. The Taoiseach is being disingenuous in his approach on this matter. He has stated, correctly, that the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, JAAB, forwarded one name to the Minister for this appointment but he equally knows that three serving judges had applied through the second channel, which is the channel to the Attorney General, and so the Minister, Deputy McEntee, had four names on her desk. The Government must be accountable for the process thereafter, when the Minister arrived from four candidates to the single name that she brought to the Cabinet. The Taoiseach has stated publicly that he was unaware of the three other applicants. The leader of the Green Party, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has similarly said he was unaware of that. Therefore, legitimate questions arise as to what happened, how the Minister, Deputy McEntee, arrived at her decision to bring forward the single name and who was involved in that process. The Taoiseach may try to hide behind the division of powers but he should remember that one of the essentials of our system, which he and I wish to protect, is the accountability of the Executive to the Oireachtas. The Taoiseach is duty-bound and the Minister for Justice is duty-bound to present herself to make a statement and to take the questions from Members of the Oireachtas on this important matter.

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