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(Speaker Continuing)
[Deputy Brendan Howlin:   ] I welcome the Taoiseach's statement.
With regard to the appointments system, constitutionally the final decision is made by the Government. I remember many years ago, when the current system was decided upon politically, it was determined that we clearly needed an expert panel to make recommendations to the Government. Does the Taoiseach finally agree that the expert panel which makes the recommendations to the Government of those who are fit to serve in the Judiciary should be made up, in the majority and certainly not in an exclusive sense, of practising judges who understand the complexity of the Judiciary?
The Taoiseach: All judgments, as members of the Judiciary would tell us, are 90% common sense and 10% law. They have to make judgments and decisions in the interests of defendants, the law and the country. There is always a balance as to how this should be got right. Ultimately, the Government makes appointments on the recommendation of some group or council. The balance to be got right is having people with expertise from both sectors, the legal profession and general life, who can say on the basis of applications, experience, qualifications, etc., that certain people are recommended for consideration to be appointed by the Government. I know the Minister, Deputy Ross's best interests lie in having these processes absolutely transparent and accountable. There is always a risk if only members of the profession are appointed or they are in a big majority; all professions must be open to all people qualified on the basis of merit. That is where the discussion on how to do it is at present. At the end of the day, the Constitution is not changing. It is a matter for the Government.
Deputy Bríd Smith: I notice the Government is taking a very tough line on pay demands from workers. I also notice, very interestingly, that it is being joined by great moral upbraiders in this country such as Mr. John Moran, or "Mr. Austerity", in taking this tough line. The view is also shared by the Minister sitting next to the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who claims that if workers keep demanding these pay rises, recipients of social services will suffer. I utterly condemn this approach by the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, the Government as a whole and others outside the Government, including former government employees.
The argument has always been put that there is no money available outside the Lansdowne Road agreement until 2018 or the economy will go back to the dark days of austerity. The recent 4% claim by the private sector has thrown another bit of fuel on the furnace of pay demands. Let us remember that Luas drivers in the private sector attained a pay increase of 18% and recently contract cleaners got a pay increase of 10%. A modest 4% rise is being requested. I welcome that request and on this side of the House we welcome that workers have woken up and are beginning to say to the Government and the State that they have taken the pain and cuts for long enough and it is payback time. I also note that profits and wealth have been restored to 2008 levels.
I put it to the Taoiseach that the argument from the Government that workers must show restraint and there can be no pay equality or restoration above the Lansdowne Road pay deals is utter hypocrisy when we have just voted to give ourselves a €5,000 pay increase. We will give gardaí €3,000 in January so what the hell is wrong with giving nurses, teachers and others working at the coal face a decent restoration of pay and pay equality? A pay revolt is taking place and the Government cannot stomach it. We welcome it because it is not a case of private versus public or worker versus social welfare recipient. If the boat lifts for any section of workers, it lifts for everybody. We can cut across the nonsense that the fiscal space does not allow it as the Government has just managed to give €600 million in VAT concessions to the hospitality industry. |
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