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Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell broke ranks with his party to criticise elements of the controversial Judicial Appointments Bill.

Many members of the party are thought to be unhappy with the bill, which has been brought forward by Independent Alliance leader Shane Ross, who reportedly threatened to walk out of Cabinet if it is not passed.

Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Farrell said he had concerns over some elements of the bill, and wanted to see major amendments before it is made law.

He questioned proposals to set up a Judicial Appointments Commission which would be made up of a lay majority, including the chairperson, and hit out at Minister Ross for trying to rush the legislation through.

He said: “I understand the Taoiseach said yesterday that he believed it was possible this Bill may not be passed before the summer recess on the basis that Members may require additional time to discuss, debate, amend or improve it.

“While I fully understand the political imperative of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, in particular, in pushing this Bill through before the summer recess, I believe there are very few Bills that warrant being pushed through at such a pace.

“This Bill should not be rushed, nor should it be guillotined or passed without a great deal of amendment, not just to improve it or comply with the views I and others have expressed but also to ensure it is not a bad Bill.”

On Tuesday, Fianna Fail had accused the Government of rushing through the bill because of the “leverage” held by the Transport Minister over Government.

(Image: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos)

Earlier Minister Ross angrily rejected claims he had a “vendetta” against the judiciary or in the legal profession in bringing forward the legislation to change the system for selecting judges.

He said: “Nothing could be further from the truth. I certainly don’t have any grudge or axe to bear against these people or this institution at all.”

He added that his father had had been managing director of a firm of solicitors.

But he insisted that those working in the legal profession are not “infallible” and said the Oireachtas should be able to criticise them.

He said: “We should be allowed to criticise them, of course and we do so, sometimes at our peril in this House.”

“We should probably be allowed to poke fun at them from time to time as we do at other people. That doesn’t indicate a lack of support.”

He also hit out a criticisms of his proposals to create a commission with a lay majority rather than a judicial one.

He said: “What it also sets out to do is allow ordinary citizens of the country to have a pivotal input into the selection of judges. Who is afraid of ordinary citizens?

“It seems many people inside and outside the House do not want to see people with skills but who are ordinary citizens being involved in a meaningful way in the selection of judges. I do. I do not want to see politicians doing the job.”

The Justice Committee yesterday refused to schedule the bill for debate next week, making it unlikely that it will be passed before the summer recess begins on July 13.