The Taoiseach has defended a Fine Gael attempt to end debate on the controversial Judicial Appointments Bill in the Seanad.

The Government was accused of acting in a "sinister" manner after Senator Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael's leader in the Seanad, said committee stage debate on the bill would conclude at 5pm today.

The bill has already been debated for more than 100 hours in both houses of the Oireachtas - and the Government has accused opposition TDs of attempting to filibuster the legislation to prevent it becoming law.

A number of senators voiced their anger at the plan this afternoon and accused the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of going back on a promise never to use a Parliamentary 'guillotine' to end debate in the Oireachtas.

The attempt was voted down and debate on the bill will continue before it moves on to the next stage.

Filibuster

Speaking in the Dáil, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the legislation has been held up for too long.

"There does come a point, when there is a filibuster underway, when a minority either in this house or in the Seanad are preventing a democratic decision being made," he said.

"I don't know how many hours of debate that particular bill had - I think it was 70 or 80 hours.

"Any TD or Senator that can't make their argument in 70 or 80 hours, they probably would have difficulty getting elected to this house anyway, whatever about the other one.

"There comes a time when the use of a guillotine or limiting debate is merited - and that is when debate has gone on for four, five or six days and people are just repeating themselves or deliberately using filibustering tactics to prevent the majority from having its view."

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi delivers a speech in the Dáil chamber, 17-04-2019. Image: Maxwell Photography

Guillotine

After Senator Buttimer announced the 'guillotine' this afternoon, Fianna Fáil's leader in the Seanad, Senator Catherine Ardagh said it was "really disgraceful" that the Government was attempting to treat the Upper House that way.

"The Chamber deserves due respect and this is the first time the leader has used this mechanism," she said.

"The rationale for using it is quite sinister.

Independent Senator Michael McDowell accused the Government of attempting to "pull a stunt" while the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi was delivering a speech in the Dáil chamber.

"I object strongly to what is happening," he said.

"The Taoiseach told us in the past in this House that he was ending the use of the guillotine - and today an attempt is being made to tear up that commitment."

Minister for Transport Shane Ross at Dublin Airport, 28-03-2019. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Senator David Norris said he did not blame Senator Buttimer for the attempt - instead pointing the finger at the Transport Minister Shane Ross, who has championed the legislation.

He labelled Minister Ross, "one of the worst ministers this country has ever seen."

Announcing a "new approach to politics" in February last year, the Taoiseach lauded the Seanad's role as a "check and balance on the Dáil" and promised an " end to the use of the guillotine."

Judicial Appointments Bill

The Judicial Appointments Bill was a key demand for Minister Ross during government formation negotiations with Fine Gael in 2016.

The legislation would see judges appointed by a board with a majority of members drawn from outside the legal profession.

Minister Ross has said the plan aims to put an end to political interference in the judicial appointments process.

Lawyers and judges have warned that the legislation is "seriously flawed," the Attorney General has described it as a "dog’s dinner" and Fianna Fáil has called "a really silly idea."