Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Regarding judicial appointments, I have no interest in the merits or demerits of any candidate. I have no intention of going into that but I have a responsibility to the process and to ensuring the Executive is doing its job. The Government is running scared as regards the Minister for Justice coming in to answer questions. That is quite clear. The Taoiseach said there was no link between this and the appointment of the Attorney General. I accept what he is saying but if that is the case, the alternative is that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, did a solo run. The Taoiseach made a very interesting point. He said the precedent is that the Taoiseach appoints the Attorney General of his or her choice but the precedent also is, and always has been, that the Minister for Justice follows the Cabinet handbook and consults the Taoiseach and Tánaiste regarding such appointments. That did not happen here. I want to ask the Taoiseach a question based on what the Minister for Justice said at a committee meeting yesterday, because he seems to contradict what she said. On what date was he, as Taoiseach, informed of the proposal to appoint Mr. Justice Woulfe to this position?

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