Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----it would take some time to implement it. One must have regard to the fact that the Bill is yet to move to Report Stage, on which I would again be keen to listen to the views of Senators, having listened to them for a considerable period. A number of amendments were made on Report Stage in the Dáil. It is against that background that, in deference to realism, I believed that a three-person advisory committee was warranted.What Senator McDowell did not say but what he knows is that there is no provision in the current JAAB system for a JAAB-type mechanism or arrangement in dealing with the President of the Circuit Court and the District Court. In order not to subscribe to a certain ad hocery, I deemed it appropriate to seek the support of my Government colleague for an advisory committee which will report directly to the Government and which I expect will get down to work in the next few weeks. In so far as references to section 44 are concerned, generally I accept that it needs to change. I will introduce the special advisory committee arrangement to section 44 on Report Stage when I will seek the support of Senators for it. Any consequential drafting matter will be considered in that context. I am not of a mind to leapfrog that proposal in order to accept Senator McDowell's amendment.