Mr Justice Flood was the original chairperson of the high-profile tribunal of inquiry into corruption in the planning system, leading the investigation from 1997 to 2003.

The final report of the tribunal — commonly known as the Mahon tribunal after its final chairperson, Mr Justice Alan Mahon — was published in 2012.

Originally from Co Donegal, Mr Justice Flood was educated at University College Dublin and the King’s Inns. He was appointed to the High Court in 1991 and retired in 2000.

He died peacefully on Saturday morning, surrounded by family at Highfield Nursing Home.

He is survived by his wife Anna, children Richard, Micheline and Suzi, and grandchildren Killian, Robert, Sam and Alessia, as well as his sons-in-law John and Erig and his daughter-in-law Patricia.

Funeral mass will take place this Thursday 15 September at 11am in St Fintan’s Church, Sutton, followed by cremation at Dardistown Crematorium. The funeral mass will be streamed online.