Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said that she is close to publishing new legislation to overhaul how judges are chosen.

Her comments come after the head of the Circuit Court said he could not uphold the law if vacancies in the court were not filled.

Justice Raymond Groarke said that the court is already three judges below its quota and will be five members short after Christmas.

Judicial appointments have also caused tensions in Cabinet, but Frances Fitzgerald said that the system will be overhauled shortly.

“I’m working at an intensive rate to ensure that we have the Judicial Appointments Bill, the Judicial Council Bill, in fact, is very close to completion, and I hope to publish that in the next few weeks,” she said.

“And of course we’ll keep the administration of justice under review.”