Results 2,401-2,420 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I thought in my innocence that I persuaded Senator Norris of the merits of my amendment.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: The Minister seems to be in doubt about this.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: This will probably require-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: -----Senator Norris to make a formal statement of this position and he may require a reasonable audience to make that statement since it is an important issue but I am not suggesting anything to him. In any event-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: There we are.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I was going to say the Minister has stated he is confident that various things will happen. I am not confident for the following reason. It is not that I doubt in any way the bona fides of the members of the commission, if it is ever established or if it ever comes into operation. Equally, it is not that I doubt that they will appreciate there must be some degree of urgency about their...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: Section 43 is reasonable as it stands. I do not think anybody could object to it. However, it is too narrow in its scope and the Government should have-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I will not be long. It is amusing to see Senator Conway tripping himself up.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: The commission is obliged by this section to give particulars of the education, professional qualifications, experience, character and where applicable the records of any interviews held by the commission in respect of the person. This is in respect of a person who it has recommended. As part of the starvation by Government of the information as to whom the non short-listed people are and...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 90:In page 30, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “44.(1) This section applies to the following judicial offices:(a) the office of Chief Justice; (b) the office of the President of the Court of Appeal; (c) the office of the President of the High Court; (d) the offices of membership of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal other than those...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 91a:In page 31, to delete lines 6 to 12. I do not see how amendments Nos. 91a and 91b are related as they are on different topics. I would prefer if we were to discuss them separately.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: By whom?
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I do not see how they are related.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: To be honest, I do not see how they really are related to each other.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: Amendment No. 91a seeks to delete lines six to 12 in section 44(9). Section 44(9) states:If the Commission cannot, in accordance with this Act, recommend to the Minister any names of persons to fill a judicial vacancy referred to insubsection (1), the Minister shall request the Commission to seek expressions of interest on the part of eligible persons who wish to be considered for...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I have to say, through the Chair, that this is probably the most bizarre provision in any Bill I have ever seen. That nobody would be suitable to be made Chief Justice or President of the Court of Appeal after a full process, despite the fact that all of those courts have ordinary members, and that none of them would be suitable to be appointed to the presidency in such a court, how crazy a...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: The really weird aspect of this is that we are also told that nothing in the Act prevents the Government from making an appointment anyway. If nobody was coming forward and the Government did not receive a recommendation, the commission would continue to issue an appeal every three months to all of the Judiciary and the legal profession to make a submission that it could consider. It defies...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: We are discussing two amendments now. I hear what the Minster is saying. I cannot, however, see why he should object, even while he is preparing for Report Stage, to making this amendment. I do not know why we are always on autopilot to Report Stage. It could not possibly affect the efficacy of the Bill between now and Report Stage to accept the amendment. From that perspective, I do not...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: On the previous occasion I was asking the Minister about the massive hole that this proposal, as it currently stands, will make and the major delay it will create in the filling of judicial vacancies. I understand Senator Craughwell wishes to contribute.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2019)
Michael McDowell: I was just trying to work out how bad this particular lacuna in the Bill is going to turn out to be and what inefficiencies will be created by it. If for whatever reason - illness or whatever else - the position of Chief Justice were to fall vacant tomorrow, supposing it did, regarding the procedure going to be put in place to fill that position, and as I understand it at the moment, every...