Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As an officer of the court and a Member of the Oireachtas, I will declare an interest on both fronts in the matter just raised by Senator Norris. We must be clear about the situation being reported on the relationship of judges with Government. It has all the appearances of a petty squabble over pay and related issues. My colleagues in both areas see this. It is the furthest thing from a constitutional crisis although I see how it would suit certain agendas to paint it as such. It is more like a dispute on pay and related issues. If the judges had taken a pay decrease when they were reasonably requested to do so, there would have been no need for the referendum and this conversation. I remind the House that the closest we have come to a constitutional crisis in recent times was when half of Mr. Brian Cowen's Cabinet decided to resign rather than to face the electorate in their roles as Ministers. There was a danger on that occasion that there would not even be enough Ministers to create a quorum.