Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What kind of discussions could take place about the experience, or the inadequacy of the experience, of a particular judge? I do not see what useful purpose is served by this provision at all.I agree completely with Senator Norris that subsections (2) and (3), which arrived in the Bill against the wishes of the Government in the Dáil, are obnoxious and should be removed. They are patently obnoxious. The previous provision about publishing a general report on people's experience means nothing if it is not debatable. It serves no useful purpose. If it is capable of being debated in either or both Chambers of the Oireachtas, it opens the door to infelicitous remarks being made about the lack of experience of a judge, which serves no useful purpose either.