Medical reasons delay Woulfe meeting with Chief Justice

A MEETING that had been due to take place between Supreme Court judge Seamus Woulfe and the Chief Justice Frank Clarke over the ‘Golfgate’ debacle has been postponed again on medical grounds.

Mr Justice Woulfe was due to meet Mr Justice Frank Clarke on Monday to discuss the “informal resolution” of the matter, after a report into the controversy by Ms Justice Susan Denham found it would be disproportionate for him to have to resign.

However, the meeting had to be postponed with Mr Justice Woulfe citing ‘personal reasons’, and was expected to take place on Friday instead. Now that meeting has been postponed until Tuesday of next week.

A statement said: “The Chief Justice has received a request for a further postponement on medical grounds, and has agreed to fix the meeting for Tuesday of next week.

“The Chief Justice has emphasised to Mr Justice Woulfe the urgency of bringing this process forward.”

No further details were given.

A report by former Chief Justice Denham found Mr Justice Woulfe had broken no law in attending the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in August.

However, she found he did not consider the issue of propriety, or the potential appearance of impropriety, for a Supreme Court judge to attend a celebratory dinner in the middle of a pandemic.

Ms Justice Denham found he had failed to reflect upon whether his attendance might cause controversy, and bring the court into disrepute. She recommended the matter be dealt with by the Chief Justice by way of “informal resolution”.