Enda Kenny: Independent Alliance not blocking judge appointments

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has denied the Independent Alliance is preventing the appointment of judges to fill vacancies in the courts.

“No, the Independent Alliance have not attempted to put down their foot and say no more judges should be appointed,’’ he said.

Mr Kenny said when a group of judges were appointed recently the intention was that they were the last under the old system.

The Taoiseach was replying in the Dáil on Tuesday to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who claimed the alliance was causing paralysis in judicial appointments and there was a weakness on the other side of the Government in failing to stand up to them.

It was unacceptable there would be no judges appointed until the legislation setting up the judicial appointments’ commission, he added.

“I would put it to you that any government that is incapable of appointing judges is a dysfunctional government, ‘’ he added.

“And you need to rectify that, Taoiseach, very, very quickly indeed.’’

Definitive

Independent Alliance member and Minister for Transport Shane Ross has been definitive that, as part of the alliance’s agreement to participate with Fine Gael in a minority Government, there will be no more judges appointed until after new legislation to reform the system is passed.

The Judicial Appointments Bill is expected to include provision for an independent body, the judicial appointments commission, with an independent chair and a non-legal majority to select shortlists for appointment.

It is not expected to reach the first stage, which would involve publication of the “heads of Bill” outlining the general intention of each section, until next month. It is also unlikely the legislation will be passed until well into next year at the earliest.

Senior members of the judiciary have asked for more judges to be appointed to the Court of Appeal to ease backlogs there.