Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The presidencies are selected out in the Minister's model, which was rejected for a special recommendatory process, but the ordinary members of the Supreme Court are just as important as, for instance, the President of the High Court. They are just as important and just as crucial to the operation of the State and the operation of the constitutional order as anybody else is. Therefore, I want it to be clearly understood that I am not being a dog in the manger about this; my objection lies in the Judiciary being asked to engage in a beauty contest before this group when there is no need for it.

Let us take for instance the Supreme Court. Has anybody ever suggested that it was filled on the basis of cronyism or that wholly unsuitable people were ever appointed to it by the Government?