Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to House and the opportunity to debate this important Bill. I listened with interest to what Senator Norris was saying and think he has a point, particularly in reference to some of the later groupings. I will certainly raise the same issue about concerns as to the nature of the groupings in respect of some of the later groupings.

I can see, and I think Senator McDowell has outlined, the reasons for amendments Nos. 1 and 3, both of which simply insert the word "advisory". There is a relationship between the two amendments. There will be later groupings where the relationship is not so clearcut and where we may well seek to decouple them and have them debated separately. I have important amendments later that I withdrew on Committee Stage that related to gender balance and the ranking of recommended nominees for judicial office. I want to make sure that those get a full debate on Report Stage because I withdrew them specifically on Committee Stage so that we would be able to come back and consider them again. The Minister had indicated during Committee Stage, in respect of some of my amendments, that he would certainly be looking at those and coming back with a response to them at that point.