Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----willing to countenance any specialisation on the part of people who might not be qualified as lawyers. This will be very good. The non-legal or lay people will working well with the judges. That is why I ask Senators to acknowledge the important amendment we made in the Dáil to provide specifically for the presidents of all the courts to be members of the commission. That is where the lay people will have an opportunity for expert and experienced guidance before decisions are made by a commission with a non-legal majority and a non-legal chair. The non-legal chair will not be some randomer off the street. The non-legal chair will be someone who has gone through a pretty rigorous and robust process. I have confidence in the PAS because it engages in such a process when it makes all its appointments. I urge Senators to have confidence in the PAS because it serves us well in terms of the manner in which it makes appointments.