TRANSCRIPT OF DENHAM GRILLING
The following is part of the transcript between Justice Susan Denham and Judge Séamus Woulfe, into his attendance at the golf outing in Galway – and whether he should have attended
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘Did you consider phoning the Chief [Justice], or any other member of the Court to seek guidance in relation to the dinner?’
MR. JUSTICE WOULFE: ‘Ah, no. I think that would have been ridiculous, with respect,
Having, inter alia, pointed to the reassurances he, Judge Woulfe, had received from experienced people in the hotel trade, and the Government policy and the economic imperative of hotels getting business, the reviewer asked Judge Woulfe what the position was for a judge.
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘And what about as a judge?’
JUDGE WOULFE: ‘Same as a judge. In this sense you’re an ordinary citizen going to a social and recreational event.’
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘Well, are you an ordinary citizen…?’
JUDGE WOULFE: ‘Because of the nature of the event, I think you are.’
Later the reviewer posed other questions.
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘Do you accept that your presence at the dinner may have created a public controversy which could have adversely affected the Supreme Court?’
JUDGE WOULFE: ‘OK, that’s a difficult question. In one sense, I suppose that is so, that for the media to also have the chance to bring down a judge as an extra fuel to the fire and it did add to the
Judge, I really do. You know, I don’t think an adult person on holidays in that kind of sense would go bothering the Chief Justice at that stage. Particularly there was nothing to spark off bother, in my mind, that there was any question going back to him.’
controversy that I was there…’
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘I think so, do you accept the context – and the context is the pandemic, where we have six months of not going to Christenings, not holding weddings, not being able to go to your family’s funerals.’
JUDGE WOULFE: ‘Of course.’
JUSTICE DENHAM: ‘And pent-up tension in the country?’
JUDGE WOULFE: ‘Of course. This was a very unfortunate set of circumstances and unfortunate timing. And for those people to be presented by the media with what appeared to be a flagrant breach of the regulations and the guidelines was like letting off a bomb.’
THE REPORT NOTES: ‘In all the circumstances, the reviewer is of the opinion that there was cogent evidence that, apart from considering whether the dinner was in compliance with the Covid-19 regulations and guidelines and the separation-of-powers issue, Mr Justice Woulfe did not seek advice on or consider whether it was appropriate for a member of the Supreme Court to attend the dinner.’