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Denham report goes to Judicial Council

The Supreme Court has sent a report on Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe’s attendance at an Oireachtas Golf Society event in Co Galway, in August, to the Judicial Council.

In a statement, the court said that this would enable the council to consider publishing the report, carried out by former chief justice Ms Justice Susan Denham, “in furtherance of its statutory function of maintaining confidence in the judiciary”.

The court met today (30 September) to consider the report, a copy of which has been made available to Mr Justice Woulfe (pictured).

Ms Justice Denham’s report was non-statutory, because relevant sections of the Judicial Council Act 2019 have not yet been commenced.

Guidelines

Ms Justice Denham was asked to consider whether Mr Justice Woulfe should have accepted the invitation to dinner in a Clifden hotel, following the golf outing at Connemara Golf Club in Ballyconneely.

She was also asked to look at whether, in the circumstances, he should have left the hotel in the light of the situation prevailing, and whether he should have attended the golf event without attending the dinner.

In the context of those questions, the former chief justice was also asked to consider whether there were any relevant codes of practice or guidelines, and to make any recommendations she considered appropriate.

Apology

Mr Justice Woulfe, who was appointed to the Supreme Court on 24 July this year, has already apologised for any unintentional breach of any of public-health guidelines on his part at the event.

The controversy surrounding the dinner led to the resignations of Mr Dara Calleary as agriculture minister and Mr Phil Hogan as EU Trade Commissioner.