Madam, - Hugh Mullen (October 10th) is concerned about our unelected judiciary and their quasi-legislative powers.
The answer - one I have been advocating publicly for many years - is to adopt the policy of more enlightened regimes. Let every judge put himself (or herself) forward for local election by the people. And in respect of the lower courts let citizens - not just lawyers - put themselves forward for election. Terms should be no longer than three years.
If this eminently sensible and democratic system were put in place the current and future judiciary would be obliged to mingle with the common man in order to garner votes and maybe get a taste of the real world. In some countries, such as the US, judges' records on sentencing and their behaviour on the bench are publicised in local and state media for all the people to see at election time. That is how it should be.
Of course, in Ireland this will never happen because the judiciary has become so aloof, secretive, arrogant and embedded that in several extraordinary instances, the office is virtually passed from father to son or daughter. And we worry about a few miserable pounds that Bertie put in his back pocket? When will we ever wake up and see the big picture?
- Yours, etc,
DAVID McCARTHY, Blackrock, Co Dublin.