Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am afraid it is here in black and white. Let me read it again for the Minister because he might not have been listening. It reads:

GRECO has also received information, directly submitted to it, by the judicial authorities, through the Chief Justice of Ireland, the President of the High Court and Acting President of the Court of Appeal, the President Designate of the Court of Appeal, the President of the Circuit Court and the President of the District Court concerning Recommendation vii. In their submission they stress that the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 has not been subject to in-depth consultations with the judiciary (contrary to what is stated by the Government).

The Government, on the other hand, told the GRECO committee, "The Government states that it has engaged in in-depth formal consultation with the senior representatives of the judiciary on this draft legislation." How can the Government have engaged in in-depth consultation with senior representatives of the Judiciary when the senior representatives of the Judiciary are saying it did not?

This Bill has been a long time in the making. Perhaps it was before the Minister's time but the judges are saying the Government did not talk to them and the Minister is saying it did.