Judges Bill expected to pass first Dáil test

The controversial judicial appointments Bill is expected to pass its first hurdle in the Dáil on Thursday, but it is unlikely to progress to the next stage until October.

Several days of the debate on the Bill’s second stage concluded on Wednesday and a vote is expected on Thursday.

The Government is expected to win the vote comfortably, as Sinn Féin and several independents and small parties will support its passage. Fianna Fáil remains strongly opposed to the Bill.

Despite repeated assurances that the Bill would be law by the summer recess, it will not progress to the committee stage, where detailed line-by-line scrutiny takes place, until October at the earliest.

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For now, Minister for Transport Shane Ross, who has been the Bill’s chief promoter, has stayed silent in the face of the delay, despite heavy criticism from the Opposition.

Lay-dominated commission

The Bill will replace the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board (JAAB) and create a new lay-dominated commission that will propose names to the Government for appointment to the judiciary.

Mr Ross has repeatedly denied that he has a “vendetta” against the judiciary, though he insisted last week that political influence on judicial appointments must end.

However, responsibility for choosing the judges must remain with the Government under the Constitution.

Last year, Mr Ross blocked the appointment of judges until progress was made on his demand, but he later backed down and agreed to some appointments, including former Attorney General Maire Whelan to the Court of Appeal.