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

Yes, that is the process that happens now, particularly for the type of vacancy mentioned by the Senator. It ensures there is no gap, particularly for such significant roles. I do not propose to change that. It very seldom happens that a person promoted to a position from one court to the next is automatically appointed or takes up that position immediately for the very simple reason that we must work with the President.A process can start quite quickly and leave a relatively short gap between when a person vacates his or her current position and takes up the new one and another person takes it on. I appreciate there can be a gap. There can be a vacancy that needs to be filled immediately but the intention here is to allow that flexibility to make sure that one can plan insofar as possible. It is the case where one knows that a vacancy, whether it is the Chief Justice or potentially president of a court, is coming up that one can plan and prepare. That is exactly what happens now.