The Government is set to finally approve legislation which will radically overhaul the manner in which judges are appointed.

Independent TDs have called for the political appointments of judges and gardaí to be stopped and for top posts to awarded on merit alone.

The chief justice has called for a radical overhauling of the way in which judges are appointed, warning that “political allegiance should have no bearing on appointments.”

THE Government acknowledged yesterday that it was fully aware of Judge Alan Mahon's 1992 tax settlement at the time he was appointed.