Sir, – The revelations by Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, as reported by Colm Keena, on the judiciary make for interesting reading ("Hardiman threatened to resign over judges' pay referendum", Front Page, September 2nd).
It’s worth pointing out that the establishment of a judicial council, as advocated by Chief Justice Susan Denham, was not included in the programme for government.
I intend bringing proposals for the establishment of a judicial council before Seanad Éireann in the autumn. – Yours, etc,
Senator VICTOR BOYHAN,
Independent,
Seanad Éireann.
Leinster House,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – Ruadhán Mac Cormaic has reported that one judge “had fruit thrown at his car” by a disgruntled member of the public during the controversy over cuts to the pay of the judiciary. Please tell me that it wasn’t an apple. – Yours, etc,
ANNE BYRNE,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Colm Keena’s report on Ruadhán Mac Cormaic’s book about the Supreme Court makes uncomfortable reading when it comes to the behaviour of the judiciary.
The claim that High Court and Supreme Court judges convened a meeting in the Four Courts “where Mr Shatter was the focus of their ire” and “many of them were convinced that [Mr Shatter] had a vendetta against them” is alarming, particularly in a democracy where the judiciary is subject to such light regulation and so little accountability.
More alarming is the claim that government ministers worried at the time about the solvency of some senior judges who had engaged in property speculation.
This has even wider implications than any personal antipathy to Alan Shatter and surely reinforces demands that judges register their interests in the same way that politicians are obliged to. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL ANDERSON,
Balgriffin,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Judges have always seemed to me to be aloof, detached and above the rest of us mere mortals, so the news that the possibility of a pay cut sent them into a frenzy shows that maybe they are just like us after all. – Yours, etc,
GARRY BURY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.