I have previously given a full account of all matters related to the filling of the Supreme Court vacancy during the Statements and Questions and Answers on Judicial Appointments held in the Dáil on 26 November last.
During the debate I informed the House that in the days following my appointment as Minister for Justice on 27 June I had an informal conversation with the Tánaiste and he informed me that there was a vacancy on the Supreme Court and that Séamus Woulfe SC had come through that process. I informed him that I had already been made aware of that.
I did not make a decision then because at that stage I did not have all the other names. I only received them on 6 July. I took time to look at the JAAB recommendation, the names that had come through the expressions of interest process, and the list of sitting judges.
I also informed the House, that in line with the Cabinet handbook, between 11 and 14 July I informed the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Attorney General of my intention to propose Séamus Woulfe SC for the position, following which I brought a memorandum for the consideration of the Government on 15 July, recommending a name to Cabinet for appointment by the President. At this remove, I cannot pinpoint the precise date between 11 and 14 July on which various conversations took place and, as such, I am providing a date range in order to be helpful to the Deputy.
In this case, the recommendation was in line with the recommendation of JAAB, which is chaired by the Chief Justice. The process through which JAAB recommends applicants for consideration by the Government is set out in Part IV of the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995, as amended.
