Results 11,741-11,760 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: The Ceann Comhairle has been very clear that it is not appropriate for me to discuss criteria here. I have already explained that there is no list or boxes that I am given to tick. The Deputy is suggesting that this was a huge decision to make. Upon being appointed Minister for Justice, one immediately has a number of huge decisions to make. I take my role and my job as Minister for...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I have just outlined that there were five expressions of interest. One name came through JAAB and there was a lengthy list of suitable judges but those people had not expressed an interest in this role.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I looked at all the names that were put before me. One was from the JAAB and there were five expressions of interest. I am saying that in the interests of clarity. It is not practice to give the number of expressions of interest. There was also a long list of eligible sitting judges from all the courts, who have not expressed an interest. That list changes and I do not have the exact...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: When I came into the Department on 28 June, I received my briefings, which stated that there was a vacancy and that the Chief Justice had asked for it to be filled immediately. I said in my statement that because lists had been reduced in the Supreme Court, there was a tradition that not all of those positions would be filled. When this one needed to be filled, which was before I came into...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: What the Cabinet handbook says is that in the case of appointments to the Judiciary, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and other party leaders, the Minister for Finance and the Attorney General should be informed in advance of proposals to make such appointments and I did just that.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I refer to my previous response that other former Ministers for Justice have very clearly said they never brought other names to the Taoiseach.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: What I am saying is that I made a recommendation. It is my job and my role as Minister for Justice to make a recommendation. When I made that recommendation to the Taoiseach, the Taoiseach did not object. It is a long-standing practice, and has been the case for many years, that there is not just the JAAB process, there are expressions of interest from judges-----
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: Again, I can repeat what is in the Cabinet handbook. I cannot talk about what happened in a Government in which the Deputy served. As Minister for Justice, it is my job to bring forward a name and that is what I did exactly in this instance.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: In terms of appointing a judge, again I will read out the only reference in the handbook to the appointment of judges-----
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: The only memorandum concerning judicial appointments that is referred to says that I should inform the relevant individuals that I have just outlined, namely, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Attorney General, any other party leader and, in this instance, the Minister for Finance who was informed in the esubmission that would have gone to all of the Cabinet before the appointment was made.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: So I have adhered to the letter of the law.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: So that is not the case. As I outlined in my earlier response, what I receive initially is an edocument, which is a draft memorandum. I received that on 6 July. After I have signed off on that, it is then adjusted to be sent to Cabinet. It has always been the case that a name itself does not even go to Cabinet; a memorandum informs colleagues that a name is going to be brought for...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: That is my understanding, yes. That is my understanding that that is the precedent that has been set.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I have asked my officials what is the precedent here. What I was informed is that no names went to Cabinet. Therefore, I asked the question and my officials in the Department informed me that only one name goes to Cabinet. What we have heard from many previous Ministers for Justice is that only one name ever goes to Cabinet.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I am aware of this non-statutory advisory group. I am also aware that this group was established specifically for the sole purpose of appointments of Chief Justice and presidents of courts, not for actual judges, so this did not apply in this regard.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: In making that decision I looked at all of the names myself. Before sending a name to Cabinet, I made my recommendation to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and to the Attorney General. Having had those conversations, I then made a recommendation to Cabinet.
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: First, I did not discuss this with the now Supreme Court judge, Mr. Justice Woulfe. I did not discuss this with my former colleague, Deputy Flanagan. I have said that I did have an informal conversation with my colleague and Tánaiste who informed me that Séamus Woulfe had come through the process and that in his view he would make a good judge. He did not tell me that this was to...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: The Ceann Comhairle has outlined that I cannot get into criteria and I will not get into criteria. This is my job. There are still names of persons who applied for that position sitting on file in my Department. There is still a vacancy and if that vacancy is to be filled, they will be again looked at. It is not for me to get into criteria. There is no specific criteria for me. I do not...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: What I have said is that for me to make that decision and to engage with my colleagues, there is no criteria. However, through the JAAB there are very clear criteria. Where it makes a recommendation, it has to show that the individual has displayed in his or her practice as a barrister or solicitor a degree of competence and a degree of probity appropriate to, and consistent with, the...
- Judicial Appointments Process: Statements (26 Nov 2020)
Helen McEntee: I do not think anybody's political persuasion should prevent him or her from being promoted or moving through the ranks of any job, whether for a judicial appointment or not. I was appointed on 27 June, which was a Saturday. On Sunday, 28 June, I came into the Department and, as is customary, I was given a huge amount of notes and information. As part of that information, I was told by my...