Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is an excellent Trinity woman in the form of Chief Justice Susan Denham, I am glad to say.

It is worth reflecting on whether it is sufficient to refer to a five-year period spent as a District Court judge. One might have been President of the District Court, for example, and such an individual certainly should be eligible to go to the High Court. Therefore, I do not believe the leapfrog point is necessarily a good one in all cases. My original purpose in the amendment, to delete all the wording, was too much. We should leave open the possibility, as at present, and tweak it a little further. I am glad to have had the opportunity to debate amendment No. 72.

Amendment No. 73 concerns the eligibility of legal academics. As a legal academic, I have a certain interest in it. What we were really trying to do was tweak the provisions. In amendments Nos. 73 and 75 to 77, inclusive, our intention is to adjust somewhat the requirements on academics' eligibility for appointment to judicial office. I will withdraw the amendments and reconsider them for Report Stage.