Helen McEntee

A row which first concerned the conduct of the former attorney general in attending a controversial golf dinner has now widened after questions were raised about the process by which his elevation to the bench was agreed by the incoming coalition government.

Mr Justice Woulfe was the only name discussed at the Cabinet despite a number of sitting judges expressing an interest in the seat.

He was the only person who applied through the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board (JAAB), which does not accept applications from sitting judges, but it was open to the government to appoint someone else.

In a statement to the Dáil yesterday, Ms McEntee said ministers “adhered to the process and the law”, but that the government “has never believed that the judicial appointments process currently in place is as good as it should be”.

The minister also revealed she had informally discussed Mr Justice Woulfe’s application with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who “informed me or gave a view, I suppose, that he thought Séamus Woulfe would be a good judge”.

However, Ms McEntee said she did not reach a decision at that point and only recommended Mr Justice Woulfe to the Cabinet after looking at all the options and speaking to all of the government party leaders.

The justice minister promised TDs: “I will shortly seek the approval of the government for a new general scheme of a Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2020 to provide for the establishment of a new commission to replace JAAB.

“This will be reforming legislation and there will be ample opportunity for the House to discuss and debate what it needs to contain. I intend to lead this reform, make it happen and, above all, make it work in the interests of the independent judiciary and the public we all serve.”