Statement: Senator Bacik calls for Debate on Wording of Judicial Pay Referendum
20 July 2011
STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK
Labour Seanad Group Leader
Wednesday 20th July, 2011
SENATOR BACIK CALLS FOR DEBATE ON WORDING OF JUDICIAL PAY REFERENDUM
Speaking in the Seanad today, Senator Ivana Bacik called for a debate on the appropriate wording for the proposed referendum to Article 35.5 of the Constitution on reducing judicial pay. Senator Bacik said:
“There is very little sympathy for some of the objections that have been put forward to the concept of the referendum, and clearly there is great public support for such a referendum - although many lawyers, including myself, believed that it would have been possible to reduce judges' pay as part of an overall levy or tax on the public sector without the need for a constitutional referendum.
"However, now that the referendum is to proceed, it is very important that we get this wording right, and that it is tight enough to ensure no slippage in the vital doctrine of separation of powers in the future. I believe that the Seanad could play a useful role in providing a forum for informed and thoughtful debate on the appropriate wording to be used for the proposed referendum.”
ENDS