Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What is very clear in this Bill is that a person cannot be and will not be appointed unless he or she has gone through the process. As the Senator has outlined, there may be a situation, as is currently the case or had been previously the case, where vacancies are not filled. For example, in the Supreme Court if a vacancy arises but it is not to be filled immediately, then it is not absolutely the case that the Minister of the day may ask for or should ask for a process to start. The Bill is absolutely clear that no person will be appointed unless he or she has gone through the judicial appointments commission, unless he or she has gone through an interview process and unless the person is one of the three names that have been put forward to the Minister. There is no other intention behind the provision.