Judicial bills to be brought to Cabinet today

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will seek her colleagues’ approval to proceed with the Judicial Appointments Bill and the Judicial Council Bill.

The first bill will provide for the creation of a new judicial appointments commission with a gender-balanced lay majority and lay chairperson.

The lay majority and chair was a key demand of Independent TD and Government minister Shane Ross, who pressed for legislation on the issue to be introduced.

However, it has divided the legal profession, with the Law Society of Ireland backing the measure and The Bar of Ireland opposing it.

The bill will also provide for the presidents of each of the courts to sit on subcommittees which will feed into the process.

A new committee made up of a lay chairperson, the Chief Justice and the Attorney General will make recommendations to the Justice Minister on appointments to Ireland’s top three judicial positions.

The second bill will deal with judicial standards, training and complaints.