High standards are being rightfully demanded - Judge
THE job of State Solicitor was a tough one and becoming more difficult because the public was watching and were demanding high standards and rightly so, stated Judge Kevin Kilrane at Sligo District Court last Thursday.
He made the remarks during tributes to retiring State Solicitor for County Sligo, Mr Hugh Sheridan who appeared before him for the last time in that role.
Judge Kilrane (pictured below) said Mr Sheridan correctly saw his role as looking after the prosecution, presenting a case on behalf of the people as he had stated.
“He was a tough prosecutor but nonetheless fair and he was prepared to let go at the last minute when the facts were against him,” he said.
The Judge stressed that if a case was dismissed due to lack of evidence then so be it but if was done so as a result of an incorrect approach or mistake then accountability was the order of the day and Mr Sheridan comes out with flying colours in that regard. local Solicitors’ Association who said it was a very special but also a sad day as they bid farewell to Mr Sheridan who had been an excellent State Solicitor.
The regard with which he was held was evidenced by the number of solicitors present in court, many of whom don’t normally appear there on a regular basis. Mr McGovern described Mr Sheridan as ultra efficient and this made life easy for solicitors and the Mr McGovern.
Mr Sheridan was on many of the insurance companies panel of solicitors and was a pleasure to deal with. He also built up a very good defensive practice.
Mr McGovern went on to wish Mr Sheridan good health and happiness in his retirement.
“I’m sure he’ ll do some work in his retirement,” said Mr McGovern who added that Mr Sheridan was also a noted “Fianna
Fáil
Inspector Donal Sweeney said he had worked with Mr Sheridan on some serious cases and while they may have had their differences from time to time it was always very professional with the interest of getting the perfect file to the DPP upper most in their minds.
Mr Sheridan thanked everyone for their kind remarks. He said he had made up his mind a couple of months ago about “hanging up his boots.”
He thanks his wife Anne and their daughter Julie for their support over the years and also to Orla his secretary of many years who was being retained by the new State Solicitor Elisia McHugh who was taking up the position this Thursday.
Mr Sheridan recalled all the judges he appeared before including James P. Gilvarry, Oliver McGuinness, Denis McLoughlin and Conal Gibbons at District Court level and Anthony Kennedy and Keenan Johnson at the Circuit Court.
Mr Sheridan recounted how he set up his own practice in 1989 and was appointed as State Solicitor in 1998.
“I was very happy in my job and I received very good co-operation from all the various stakeholders,” he said.
People he had represented before and had then appeared as defendants he had to prosecute didn’t mind because he did his job fairly, he said.
“It’s been a great 20 years. I’m not going to disappear. I think I’ ll be thumping the counter in the Garda Station from time to time,” he said.
“He carried out his work in an exemplary and common sense fashion”