New body for evaluating judicial candidates to be considered



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The President of the Supreme Court would preside over a new body to evaluate judicial candidates according to the proposals that the Cabinet will debate today.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is seeking approval of an amended Judicial Appointments Commission bill to establish a new system for appointing judges.

The controversy surrounding the appointment of former Attorney General Séamus Woulfe to the Supreme Court has focused attention on how judges are appointed.

Ms. McEntee proposes a nine-member Judicial Appointments Committee to evaluate the candidates.

The membership would be made up of four judges, four lay people and the Attorney General who would not have the right to vote.

Both judges and non-judges would request the Commission to be considered for a vacancy and a short list would be forwarded to the Minister of Justice.

Former Minister Shane Ross tried to get a bill passed last day to establish a different version of a Judicial Appointments Commission, with a lay chairman and a lay majority.

The bill was held in the Seanad for 18 months by prolonged obstructionism and expired when the elections were called.



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