‘Dog’s dinner’ bill

Even if you don’t regard yesterday’s intervention by the Attorney General Seamus Woulfe on Transport Minister Shane Ross’s controversial bill to overhaul the appointment of judges as something above the pay grade of an unelected law officer, you cannot ignore his core message.

Mr Woulfe suggested that because of amendment after amendment, compromise after compromise to appease a rainbow of opinions, the bill is a “dog’s dinner” and, in its present guise, is not for purpose.

This, he said, “makes it a challenge to get the bill to report stage... ”

Should that transpire, and should the bill not be enacted before the election drums start to beat — not too long now — another attempt, no matter how imperfect, to reform public life will have run into the sand.

In that event, the only winners would be those opposed to a stronger role for our parliament in the appointment of judges.

A victory for the status quo facilitated by a fragmented Dáil.

Two lessons: A divided Dáil is ineffective and to defeat reform all you have to do is out-wait those who recognise the need for change.