Judges reiterate call for judicial council following Dáil allegations

The Association of Judges in Ireland (AJI) has repeated its call for the creation of a judicial council following allegations made against a judge in the Dáil.

AJI secretary Mr Justice John Edwards said the allegations highlighted the need for a process for handling complaints against the judiciary.

He told The Irish Times that it “would be inappropriate for to comment on the circumstances of an individual case”.

Mr Justice Edwards added: “However, in relation to Ms Daly’s more general criticism that no formal mechanism exists at present on foot of which a person can ventilate a complaint against a judge, the AJI supports in principle the recent call by the Chief Justice for the promulgation of a Judicial Council Bill in early course and for the establishment of a judicial council.”

Clare Daly TD used parliamentary privilege in order to outline allegations against a member of the judiciary on Wednesday evening.

Ms Daly said a judge, who had issued a bench warrant for her arrest, was “causing huge problems with regard to the administration of justice given the inefficiency of the court sittings in his district”.