Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee this afternoon
This evening
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has told the Dáil that she did take on board that Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had commented that Séamus Woulfe would “make a good judge”.
Via RTÉ
Paul Murphy of Solidarity-PBP asked if Taoiseach Micheál Martin was made aware that other names existed regarding an appointment to the Supreme Court.
Minister McEntee said that she had already made clear that she only recommended one name to Mr Martin.
She said she did take on board her party leader’s comment that Mr Justice Woulfe would make “a good judge”.
But it was her understanding that Mr Varadkar was not aware that there were other names put forward for the position.
McEntee tells Dáil she did ‘take on board’ Varadkar comment about Woulfe (RTÉ)
Earlier…
This afternoon.
Dáil at the Convention Centre.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is addressing the appointment of Séamus Woulfe as a Supreme Court justice.
She said that a draft memo was submitted to her office by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board (JAAB) in July with expressions of interests from serving judges.
The minister said the practice in relation to appointments is that only one judge’s name is brought to Cabinet by the Minister for Justice and she said that this practice is important in relation to judicial appointments.
She said an open debate would amount to a “complete politicisation” of the judicial appointments process.
She said it was the duty of the Minister for Justice to propose to Cabinet the best person for the particular judicial vacancy, and the Government then decides and she said that this is what happened in this case.
Watch live here.
More when we get it.
Update:
From top: Martin Kenny, Sinn Féin TD
SF’s Martin Kenny is first to respond. “What any reasonable person would have expected you to do today is to come before the Dáil and explain how those four names were whittled down to one, but you haven’t done that… you didn’t tell the Taoiseach there were other applicants.”
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) November 26, 2020
More as we get it.
Meanwhile…
‘Woulfe At The Door, 24’ – Justice Bingo with Eileen Dunne, Dáil members Helen McEntee, Catherine Murphy, Seamus Woulfe, Mary Lou, Leo Varadkar and the ever-present Paul Brennan #woulfe #golfgate #rte #rtegate #NPHET #Covid #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/Qw5sd2bvOI
— Brennan’s Armageddon (@BrennansArmage1) November 26, 2020
Stop it, Brennan!
