Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe

The debate over his future on the bench moved into the political arena last week after it emerged in published correspondence that he had rejected personal calls from the Chief Justice to resign.

Article 35.4 of the Constitution allows for senior judges to be removed from office by the Oireachtas for “stated misbehaviour” or incapacity, but this power has never before been exercised.

Writing in Irish Legal News last week, Andrew McKeown BL explained that there is no such process as “impeachment of a judge” comparable to the process for impeaching a president.

Party leaders have met to discuss the crisis but have not reached agreement on whether or not Mr Justice Woulfe should go. The government has not shared its legal advice and opposition parties are understood to be seeking their own legal advice as well.