Government insists judicial appointments bill will be law by summer

The Judicial Appointments Bill will become law by summer despite renewed criticism from the legal profession, the Government has insisted.

Attorney General Séamus Woulfe SC received considerable support from lawyers after he called the bill a “dog’s dinner” and “unconstitutional” at a dinner with journalists over the weekend.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with Sean O’Rourke programme, said he accepted the legislation was in a “difficult place”.

However, Mr Flanagan placed the blame on opposition TDs for passing contradictory and unconstitutional amendments, suggesting that “too many cooks have spoiled the broth”.

He added: “There were a large number of amendments at committee stage, which fundamentally changed the import of the bill.

“My view and indeed the Attorney General’s view as well is that these issues can be dealt with before the next stage of Dáil debate in April.”

The minister denied that the bill needed to be “scrapped or thrown out”.