Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 558: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the Judicial Council Bill. [19905/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government undertakes to "legislate to establish a Judicial Council, with lay representation, to provide an effective mechanism for dealing with complaints against judges" and this is taking place in the form of the Judicial Council Bill for which a General Scheme had been published in 2010. As well as providing for the establishment of a Judicial Council and Board that will promote excellence and high standards of conduct by judges, the proposed Bill is aimed at providing a means of investigating allegations of judicial misconduct supported by the establishment of a Judicial Conduct Committee which will have lay representation. In November of 2011, the Chief Justice, Mrs. Susan Denham, announced that the judiciary had agreed to establish an Interim Judicial Council pending the publication and enactment of the proposed Bill and I have very much welcomed this forward-looking initiative. Under the Government's Legislation Programme announced by the Chief Whip on 17 April 2012 the Judicial Council Bill is in the course of being drafted with a view to being published late in 2012.