Committee to set up a system for complaints about judges

The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Hamilton, has announced the establishment of a judicial committee, whose tasks include establishing a system for handling complaints about judges and advising on and preparing the way for a new judicial body to "contribute to high standards of judicial conduct".

The six-member committee consists of five senior judges and the Attorney General, "who will represent the public interest". The committee will begin work immediately and will publish a report on its conclusions.

In a statement issued yesterday - the first issued by the Chief Justice - Mr Justice Hamilton said he had received a report from the Working Group on a Courts Commission last November relating to judicial conduct and ethics. The recommendations of that report were immediately accepted, he said.

On the publication last Friday of the sixth report of the Working Group, steps were taken to establish a judicial committee as recommended by the group, he added.

The Judicial Committee, the Chief Justice announced, consists of the presidents of each of the courts, being the Chief Justice; the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Morris; the President of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Esmond Smyth; Ms Justice Denham, past chairwoman of the Working Group on a Courts Commission; Mr Justice Keane, past president of the Law Reform Commission and the Attorney General, Mr David Byrne, who will represent the public interest.

The Chief Justice said the Judicial Committee will:

"(a) consider the sixth report of the Working Group on a Courts Commission;

(b) consider further the position in other jurisdictions including Canada, New South Wales, US and New Zealand;

(c) consult with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; the Bar Council; the Law Society; academics and others;

(d) receive submissions from interested bodies;

(e) advise on and prepare the way for the establishment of a judicial body which would contribute to high standards of judicial conduct, establish a system for the handling of complaints of judicial conduct, and other activities such as are undertaken by similar bodies elsewhere;

(f) do other preparatory work including that relating to judicial standards and ethics".

The Chief Justice said the committee will also "consider matters which have arisen since the sixth report was finalised in November 1998".