The Judicial Appointments Commission Bill is one of 32 pieces of legislation the Government is aiming to publish during the forthcoming Oireachtas Spring session.

The bill will establish a Judicial Appointments Commission, headed by the Chief Justice, to make recommendations on judicial appointments to the Government.

'More transparent process'

The Government approved the drafting of the bill last month, with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee pledging “a substantially more streamlined and transparent process”.

The new commission will replace the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board (JAAB) and will consider all applications for appointments to judicial office.

The legislative programme published by the office of the Chief Whip Jack Chambers (pictured) earlier this week shows that a number of other bills in the justice area have also been prioritised for publication:

• The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill, which provides for the repeal of the mandatory minimum sentences for second or subsequent firearms or misuse of drugs offences,
• The Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill, which covers a revised system of prisoner transfer within the EU,
• Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill, implementing an EU Directive on unauthorised entry, transit and residence,
• The Criminal Procedure Bill provides for measures to reduce delays and improve efficiency in procedural aspects of criminal trials, including by introducing preliminary trial hearings,
• The Garda Siochána (Compensation) Bill sets up a new scheme to comensate members of the force maliciously injured in the course of their duties,
• The Private Security Services Amendment Bill, which amends sections of the Private Security Services Act and repeals Section 4 (4) of the Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1926,
• The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill will change the monitoring arrangements for convicted sex offenders.