Three senior judges visit Woulfe over ‘Golfgate’
A GROUP of senior judges visited Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe to express concerns over how he had handled the ‘Golfgate’ affair.
The meeting took place last Friday, the day after a report by former chief justice Susan Denham found he had broken no law by going to the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner.
Although she said he failed to reflect on whether his attendance at a celebratory event in the middle of a pandemic might bring the Supreme Court into disrepute, she said it would be “unjust and disproportionate” for him to have to resign. However, a number of senior judges are known to be disappointed and displeased at his handling of the matter.
Sources said three judges visited him on Friday and relayed their views. Mr Justice Woulfe’s reaction to what they had to say was said to have been one of “shock”.
The release of Ms Justice Denham’s report last Thursday has failed to draw a line under the controversy. A transcript of an interview she conducted with him gave rise to further questions about his judgment.
A GROUP of senior judges went to visit Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe to express concerns over how he had handled the ‘Golfgate’ affair.
The meeting took place last Friday, the day after a report by former chief justice Susan Denham found he had broken no law in going to the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner.
Although she said he failed to reflect on whether his attendance at a celebratory event in the middle of a pandemic might cause controversy and bring the Supreme Court into disrepute, Ms Justice Denham said it would be “unjust and disproportionate” for him to have to resign.
However, a number of senior judges are known to be disappointed and displeased at his handling of the matter.
Sources said three judges visited him on Friday and relayed their views. Mr Justice Woulfe’s reaction to what they had to say was said to have been one of “shock”.
The release of Ms Justice Denham’s report last Thursday has failed to draw a line under the controversy.
A transcript of an interview she conducted with Mr Justice Woulfe was released on Friday and gave rise to further questions about his judgment and lack of awareness of events around him.
Much of his defence centred around advice and assurances he said he received from others that the event was compliant with Covid-19 regulations.
He was deeply critical of media coverage, and also criticised the reaction of Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
In her report, Ms Justice Denham said it would be open to Chief Justice Frank Clarke to deal with the matter by way of “informal resolution”.
What this will involve is, as yet, unclear. There has been speculation in legal circles that Mr Justice Woulfe may receive a warning or admonishment or be requested to issue a further public apology.
Mr Justice Clarke had been due to meet Mr Justice Woulfe yesterday. However, Mr Justice Woulfe asked for a postponement for “personal reasons”.
During his interview, Mr Justice Woulfe claimed there had been “fake” and “false” reporting of the golf dinner, held in Clifden, Co Galway, on August 19, and he feared he had been “prejudged” by other judges.
The former attorney general claimed Mr Martin never asked “for an account of the facts” from event organiser Donie Cassidy, and that agriculture minister Dara Calleary had been forced to resign “on a false premise”.
He claimed Mr Varadkar wrongly stated restrictions in place at the time only allowed for indoor groupings of six people. A report produced by an engineer retained by Mr Justice Woulfe argued the event “conformed substantially” with Covid-19 requirements. The dinner involved two groups dining in adjoining rooms. Mr Justice Woulfe insisted he was unaware of the second group or that a gap was opened in the partition between the rooms for speeches and prize-giving.
Altogether, there were 81 diners in total, far above the 50 permitted at the time.