Shane Ross: Judicial opponents to appointments reform are ‘vested interests’

The Independent TD and Government minister who has led calls for reform of judicial appointments in Ireland has said the hostility of judges to his proposals is understandable.

Responding to a letter published by The Irish Times, in which Ireland’s most senior judges criticised the Government’s planned reforms, Shane Ross said: “Vested interests rarely if ever welcome reform in their own area.”

Defending the lay majority and chair on the proposed new Judicial Appointments Commission, Mr Ross added: “The Bill specifically and intentionally includes the extensive input of judges and their undoubted expertise into all appointments.

“Judges will provide a substantial minority in the case of every single judicial selection. There are six lawyers on the 13-person commission. The objective of the Bill is to remove as far as is constitutionally possible the selection of judges from political influence.”

Senior judges took an opposing view in the letter signed by the former Chief Justice of Ireland, Mrs Justice Susan Denham; Mr Justice Seán Ryan, president of the Court of Appeal; Mr Justice Peter Kelly, president of the High Court; Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, president of the Circuit Court; and Mrs Justice Rosemary Horgan, president of the District Courts.

They said the bill “does not achieve the publicly stated objective of removing political influence from the appointment process. Indeed, the appointment process is further politicised.”

The Judicial Appointments Commission Bill passed the second stage in the Dáil last month. The next step is for it to be examined by the Oireachtas select committee on justice and equality.