Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the long promised Judicial Council Bill is expected to be published; the consultation he has had with members of the judiciary regarding the contents of the Bill; his views, in view of a recent case, that there is still no procedure for dealing with breaches of conduct by judges apart from the impeachment process provided for under the constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22485/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Work on the Scheme of a Judicial Council Bill to build on the report of the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Ethics is currently under way in my Department.

That Report recognised the need for a procedure for dealing with complaints of judicial misconduct which, while serious in itself, might not warrant the ultimate sanction of impeachment by the Oireachtas.

Consultations on the proposed Bill have, as is usual in the development of any legislative proposals, taken place with the Office of the Attorney General. It was also considered prudent, given the nature of the subject, to consult with the Chief Justice. While some preliminary views were received, the Chief Justice requested an opportunity to offer further views at a later stage. I await the final observations of the Chief Justice.