Taoiseach urged to explain Attorney General’s comments

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been urged to offer an explanation for the comments of Attorney General Séamus Woulfe on ongoing court cases against the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Mr Woulfe told a function last week he believed former Rehab boss Angela Kerins would fail in her Supreme Court case against the Oireachtas’ Public Accounts Committee.

Social Democrats leader Róisín Shortall said the Attorney General had made “very serious errors”.

Ms Shortall said it is important to hear directly from Mr Varadkar, who appointed Mr Woulfe when he replaced Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.

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“It was a gross interference and we think the Taoiseach needs to explain his view,” Ms Shortall added.

The Attorney General is also under the spotlight for remarks he made about the Judicial Appointments Bill.

Mr Woulfe said the legislation had become a dog’s dinner due to a number of amendments accepted at committee stage.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan claimed some of those accepted were unconstitutional and contradicted each other.

However Ms Shortall challenged Mr Flanagan, stressing amendments that were deemed unconstitutional would have been ruled out of order.

The issue is to be discussed at this morning’s Cabinet meeting but Government Ministers have stressed they are fully united behind Mr Woulfe.

While several privately expressed criticism of his remarks, it is not expected he will face any action.