David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I draw the attention of the House to an editorial published in last Saturday's edition of The Irish Times. It is extremely damning. It is a long time since I have read such a negative editorial and it bears directly on the business of this House. The headline for the article could be "Scrap the Judicial Appointments Bill". The first line reads, "It is still not too late for the Government to scrap the ill-advised Judicial Appointments Bill being foisted on the country at the whim of Minister for Transport Shane Ross." In one sentence there are four crucial negatives: "not too late"; "ill-advised"; "foisted"; and "whim". The only thing I have against the editorial is that it continued, "The Bill is bogged down in the Seanad because of a rearguard action led by former attorney general Michael McDowell." What about his second in command? Here I am.