Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is often to a position of greater seniority. Under the Bill, the proposal is that there will be one route and that each applicant for a position will go through the appointments commission, not in the manner that obtains with the JAAB, where sitting judges do not go before it. I acknowledge that under the new regime, the President of each court will not only be a member of the commission but will also have a very influential role in the deliberations of the committee. What I am giving consideration to, as I said on the last occasion, is having a senior appointments commission that would deal with what Senator Norris described as exceptionally high office. He is right because they are positions of exceptionally high office. I have a difficulty with Senator McDowell's amendment in so far as subsection (7) is concerned. What the Senator intends to achieve under the amendment is broader than what was mentioned previously and would go beyond what I am keen to explore. I also understand from Senator Norris that he might regard the parameters of subsection (7) as being somewhat broader than he might envisage.