Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Nobody is suggesting a team of eight lay members from the radical left. It will attract people with a genuine interest in contributing to a commission and to the Judiciary of the country. This is about creating diversity and I do not understand why people are afraid of diversity. People are only afraid of things when they feel threatened so I wonder what it is about lay people that threatens the Senators so much. People from all different fields will go for this. Senator McDowell said that a judge got in to allow a human rights activist in but that is extremely unfair. Human rights activists are changing the shape of our environment and they did not get in on the back of the judge who was allowed in. Maybe it was because of the amount of work they actually do and the knowledge they possess.

I have heard the phrase "these people" used a few times in respect of the lay people about whom we are talking. Perhaps the Senators can be honest and say who they think lay people are.