Mr Justice O'Flaherty last night refused to resign and said he was prepared to forgive politicians who had imputed improper motives to his action in the Philip Sheedy case.
He told Charlie Bird of RTE News: "I did nothing wrong."
He said a judge could not be removed from office "simply by hyping something up, spreading rumours and hoping he'll go quietly".
"The constitutional provision is there . . . It's not a threat to be hung over the heads of the judiciary. It's there for the protection of the judiciary. It's meant to be a straight protection," the Supreme Court judge said.
When Charlie Bird asked if there was no question of Mr Justice O'Flaherty "going quietly", he replied: "I'm telling you the meaning of the Constitution. That's what historically was there in the old bill of rights."
Mr Justice O'Flaherty said politicians had "gone out on a limb, they've taken stances and they must now bring themselves into a judicial mode as well". He said that if those politicians had "taken sides, if they have asserted motives on my part that are clearly not there, I am prepared to forgive and forget that".
He said he was willing to "face whatever has to be faced" and that he would "answer any and every question from whatever source it comes". In a letter to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights, Mr Justice O'Flaherty had earlier expressed "deep regret" for his "inappropriate and unwise action" in the Sheedy case. In a statement from his office at midday, he had also admitted that in retrospect it was unwise of him to make contact with the Dublin County Registrar.
Judge O'Flaherty made his comments to RTE from outside his home in Ballsbridge, Dublin. Mr Bird asked him: "Can I ask you a very direct question, Mr Justice O'Flaherty? Are you contemplating resigning?" Mr Justice O'Flaherty replied "No."
Charlie Bird: "Definitely not?"
Mr Justice O'Flaherty: "No."
Charlie Bird: "Why not?"
Mr Justice O'Flaherty: "Because I did nothing wrong."
Mr Bird asked if it had been a difficult period for himself and his family. He replied: "Even judges are human to some extent."
He told Mr Bird he would "answer any and every question from whatever committee of the Dail or sub-committee of the Dail or the Dail itself".
When the judge later said that if politicians had taken sides in the affair, he was prepared to "forgive and forget", Charlie Bird asked: "But do you think they have actually taken sides?"
Mr Justice O'Flaherty replied "I do. Well, don't you?"
Charlie Bird: "Well, I'm only the journalist asking the questions."
Mr Justice O'Flaherty: "No, no, but you're the one who knows everything."
Charlie Bird: "I know everything? I doubt that very much."
Mr Justice O'Flaherty: "Thank you very much. Can we give you a cup of tea?"
Charlie Bird: "No, thank you very much."
Mr Bird reported that Mr Colm Allen SC and the entertainer Kathleen Watkins had visited Mr Justice O'Flaherty's home earlier.
