Michael McDowell backs judicial council motion

The Seanad motion, also signed by Independent Senators Victor Boyhan and Gerard Craughwell, calls for legislation to introduce a council “to provide a framework of judicial conduct and ethics”.

Earlier this year, Government minsters told senators that a planned Judicial Council Bill had been delayed due to “other pressing priorities in the legislative area”.

However, pressure has mounted on the Government to publish the draft bill.

The new Seanad motion does not include a call for a register of judges’ interests, which Mr Boyhan has said he supports.

Mr Boyhan said he will raise his support for a register of judges’ interests during the debate on the motion later this year.

In August, Mr Boyhan explained: “I, personally, would be uncomfortable if a judge was a member of a Masonic lodge, for example, or other secret society, and I think that should be declared, as should shares in financial institutions.”