Leo Varadkar told the Justice Minister that Seamus Woulfe would make a good judge in the build-up to his appointment to the Supreme Court.
Helen McEntee told the Dáil Varadkar made the remark when they initially discussed the vacancy on the Court.
McEntee says she then applied her own criteria when considering Mr Woulfe and FIVE other sitting judges to decide who should get the job.
The Minister confirmed there are no existing criteria for judicial appointments within the Department of Justice.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee has stood over the process she oversaw:
Opposition parties have said the Minister's explanation is not credible.
Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy says Helen McEntee still hasn't explained how she chose Seamus Woulfe: