Judges appointed to Flood tribunal

Three new members have been formally appointed to the planning tribunal to sit alongside Mr Justice Feargus Flood.

Judge Mary Faherty, Judge Alan Mahon and Judge Gerald Keys will sit under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Flood when the tribunal resumes public hearings next Wednesday.

Judge Faherty and Judge Mahon will serve as full members, while Judge Keys has been appointed as a reserve member; he will become a full member if any full member is unable to act because of sickness or other reasons.

Mr Justice Flood first asked the Government for extra staff to help with his workload in June 2001, but it took until last February to find people willing and qualified to fill the positions.

At that time, the three appointees were working barristers and it was proposed to appoint them as Circuit Court judges as part of their move to the tribunal. This required special legislation to increase the number of ordinary judges of the Circuit Court from 24 to 27. With the tribunal not in public session, the three appointees have spent the past few months working as judges.

The tribunal is sitting for one day next Wednesday to hear applications for representation from parties involved in the Jackson Way module of investigations. Full hearings will resume next month.