Flanagan condemns TD’s attack on judge as ‘sinister’

JUSTICE Minister Charlie Flanagan has accused People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith of a “sinister” and “personalised” attack on a judge.

Comments by Ms Smith have also been condemned by the Association of Judges of Ireland (AJI), which said they went “far beyond what is acceptable in a properly functioning democracy founded on the rule of law”.

The Bar Council and the Law Society also weighed in – and Mr Flanagan has now raised the matter with Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl.

Ms Smith criticised a ruling by High Court Judge Garrett Simons in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The previous day, Mr Justice Simons had found a sectoral employment order made by the Government guaranteeing minimum pay for electrical workers was unconstitutional.

The ruling came after the National Electrical Contractors Ireland (NECI) challenged the Government order.

In her Facebook post, Ms Smith claimed the judge “put the boot into workers” while earning “over €200,000 a year”. High Court judges are paid up to €196,000.

She made similar comments in the Dáil without naming the judge.

Vicious

Mr Flanagan said: “It is sinister to see a judge of our courts under attack in a highly personalised and vicious manner, most especially when such attacks come from an elected member of Dáil Éireann. It is redolent of petty dictators and in effect undermines the very fabric of democracy.”

Ms Smith responded saying: “It’s interesting that Charlie Flanagan seems more concerned about the judge his party appointed than he does about the impact the judgment will have on hundreds of thousands of workers and their families.”

She added: “I don’t see a Tweet from the establishment showing concern for them or more importantly any indication from the State of intention to appeal the judgment. I wait with baited breath for Fine Gael to defend workers.”

Mr Flanagan wrote to the Ceann Comhairle last night referring to Ms Smith’s remarks in the Dáil and online asking him to “defend the separation of powers” and to “take appropriate steps in this case”.