Minister for Defence Alan Shatter said he did not know why some Senators had tried to traduce the reputation of an individual in the Defence Forces who, through no fault of his own, had found himself in an anomalous position.
Speaking in the Seanad, Mr Shatter said this person had been properly selected, as far as a selection committee was concerned, to fill the post of military judge, but an issue had arisen as to whether he fulfilled the legal eligibility criteria.
The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011 was designed to expand the pool of candidates. Claims that it was intended to benefit just one person were unfair to the individual concerned, he added.
Denis O’Donovan of Fianna Fáil said he understood that the person in question had been a member of the national executive of the officers’ representative body, Radco.
Mr O’Donovan wondered if it was appropriate that a representative organisation should be advocating for a military judge appointment.
His contention was that the Bill was primarily designed to facilitate an individual and to ensure that the department would not be sued for legitimate expectation.