Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

The evidence will be presented to the House and it will come to a conclusion based on the facts presented as to whether the judge should continue in office. There is no incrimination in that. Anybody could lose his or her job without being incriminated. It might not have implications for a criminal prosecution. There is a distinction but it is an interesting issue that must be teased out in a satisfactory manner. One could not afford to embark on the process without being sure about this because one would not want the process to abort as a result of something that could have been anticipated.

There is a distinction in the process and the analogy of the courts may not be correct to describe that on which we are embarking. As the Minister of State and others said, we are in uncharted territory and we are trying to tease out what should be the process.