Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is precisely because the Courts and Court Officers Acts do not allow for such vetting, or even assessment.

To answer Senator McDowell question, yes, this is one of the fundamental pillars of this Bill. This is one of the changes in that the commission will assess the suitability of serving judges for such appointment. This is in response to the public consultation that was undertaken prior to this Bill having even been drafted.

Certainly, I am enlightened as to the direction of Senator McDowell in terms of his opposition to the Bill when he repeatedly used the word "outsiders". He said that outsiders are assessing, that outsiders are involved and that outsiders are a part of the process.