The absence of a statutory system for reprimanding judges probably means that Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe cannot be reprimanded without his consent, according to legal academics who spoke to The Irish Times. However, the request to Ms Justice Denham to inquire into Mr Justice Woulfe’s attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner last August, and report back to the Supreme Court, mirrored what was envisaged in the Act, he said. On Friday it published some, though not all, of the appendices to the report, including the transcript of Mr Justice Woulfe’s first interview with Ms Justice Denham. “I think our current Supreme Court have done so much work in trying to open up the court and Frank Clarke made that an aim at the start of his of tenure as Chief Justice. Prof O’Connell said that Mr Justice Woulfe (58), could be on the Supreme Court bench for the next 12 years, a period during which it may reduce in size owing to the Court of Appeal having been established.

Source: The Irish Times October 08, 2020 00:00 UTC