Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak first on amendment No. 7. This is a Government amendment that further adds to the definition of what a layperson is under the Bill, adding a subsection (d) to ensure that no legal practitioner from outside the jurisdiction might constitute a layperson. It seems the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, is truly a believer in the conspiracy theories of the deep state and is so afraid that someone will try to crusade against the Judiciary in this State, which is absurd in itself. All legal practitioners who work overseas are to be banished from having any role or be viewed as a layperson - from the ridiculous to the sublime, one might say. Even the Minister for Justice and Equality must find it hard to defend this Government amendment but we look forward to hearing his response.

We have been well over 100 hours debating these matters in the Seanad, where no Member mentioned the necessity of banishing foreign legal practitioners from having a role on the judicial appointments commission. This is the first amendment the Government has put forward.