EU Issues

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Questions (148)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

148. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline Ireland's position at the Committee of Permanent Representatives and-or the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels during other meetings in recent years during discussions at EU level on increasing the number of judges at the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg; if Ireland agreed to increase the number of judges based on merit, regardless of their member state; or if Ireland took the position to stay with the spirit of Article 19(2) of the Treaty on European Union, of one judge per member state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18040/14]

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Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The jurisdiction and workload of the General Court has expanded in recent years leading to an increase in the number of cases pending before the Court. Ireland is conscious of the need to address the backlogs that have arisen and to this end has supported a draft Regulation of the European Parliament and Council which would amend the Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice by increasing the number of Judges at the General Court. In discussions between the European Institutions and the member states a number of different proposals were put forward in relation to how many additional Judges would be appointed. Ireland’s position has been to seek to support any reasonable compromise that would enable the appointment of additional Judges in order to address the delays that have arisen. In this regard Ireland, in common with a number of other member states, supported an initiative by the Greek Presidency which allowed both for elements of rotation and for merit based assessment. To date however no final agreement has been reached between the member states as to the method of appointment of any additional Judges.