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A REPORT BY a major European anti-corruption body has commended the Irish judiciary for it “independence and integrity”.
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is an affiliate of the Council of Europe and today’s report focuses specifically on the Irish parliamentary and judicial systems.
It was found that the Judiciary and Prosecution Service were thought to be among the “most trusted public institutions in Ireland”, with the independence and professionalism of judges here described as “undisputed”.
In contrast to this – and in keeping with a trend common across Europe – political parties and politicians enjoy low levels of trust, despite the legislative process in Irish Parliament being considered to have a high level of transparency.
Findings
Welcoming the report’s findings today, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, said:
We, as a nation, value the principle of judicial independence and it is important that this principle is recognised by an international evaluation team such as GRECO and that the independence and professionalism of our judges is undisputed.
The report was also welcomed by Chief Justice Susan Denham. In her response she said:
The Irish Judiciary is very conscious of the critical importance of – and will continually work to maintain – that trust which the public reposes in it, which is founded on the principle of judicial independence as guaranteed in our Constitution, and which every judge solemnly commits to uphold on being appointed.
Corruption
The report looks at corruption in respect of judges, members of parliament and prosecutors.
It is noted in the report that their has been a growing concern about corruption in Ireland since the conclusion in 2012 of the Mahon Tribunal - which had examined corruption allegations in relation to planning permission and rezoning issues.
In specific relation to parliamentarians, it is noted that corruption had increased – although from a fairly low initial level.
Today’s findings acknowledged that “despite not having been considered as particularly affected by corruption” – anti-corruption policies had been introduced in Ireland over the past number of years.
Reforms
The report makes a number of recommendations as to improvements in the way that the Irish lawmaking and judicial system could be run.
For members of the Dáil and Seanad it is recommended that further protection should be afforded to whistleblowers under the House of the Oireachtas Act 2013.
It is also recommended that members of both houses be required to make wider declarations about their financial interests – and that these include declarations relating to the interests of “close or connected persons” to themselves.
As part of the report, it is suggested that an independent statutory council be established for the judiciary.
It is also noted that the reduction of public salaries due to the financial crisis may have compromised the constitutional safeguarding of judges independent and professional standards.
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I don’t and I’m Irish. Don’t remember being asked my opinion… (A system that gives suspended sentences to criminals but puts honest folk in prison for standing up for the truth)
A closeted, cliquey, deluded group of overpaid, borderline-honest, chancers. Recent criminal case I have knowledge of had a barrister ‘afraid’ to introduce a line of questioning for fear he’d ‘annoy’ the judge, and also didn’t want to ‘bushwhack’ his opposite no. in prosecution as “he and his wife were at my wedding”!! Funnily enough, the statement of professional fees I believe had no such hesitancy in boasting of their adroitness though!!
Why do people here respect and trust the legal system here?
The legal system is as bent as the political landscape. They are co-joined twins.
Well holy god seanie, you’re certainly changing your tune about the whole political landscape over the last few weeks. Have you had a political awakening?
I suppose when you start to reject one central aspect of your political discourse that everything else that flows from that will be questioned as well.
What f’ing planet was this report carried out on?
Not a day goes by in this country where the general population aren’t appalled by weak sentences handed down to repeat offenders.
When a rapist walks free with a fine and a suspended sentence…how can you trust them
The 20 Ched Evans fans just disagreed with you ;)
Which case are you taking about where someone convicted of rape was fined, given a suspended sentence and walked away? And did you actually attend court for any of this? Or are you just making assumptions based on reading tabloids.
The corruption within is covertly covered up behind closed doors in secret and held to be just by judges that hold to be independent in their duty wrong or right .,. how more corrupt can it be then this …………………………………………………
Like Irish judges???…
Do Irish judges realise they can impose double digit year sentences on violent criminals???
Another deluded ivory tower dweller. Talking complete and utter gibberish about us trusting the judicial system.
All the top judges are politically appointed so they’re just an extension of the government and to take them on in the courts costs an arm and a leg….Justice system has been bought and paid for a long time ago……it’s a big fat NO from me.
Exactly Derek. To be a judge you have to be politically connected. The way they are appointed is ridiculous. Check out the JAAB.
ALL judges are political signed off on. Not just the higher ones. All of them. Same for Superintendents and above in AGS, are all politically signed off on (an argument can be made that politics also affects sgt and inspector ranks as well, but that’s another day).
Old boys club who live under a big rock
I do not trust you.
This is another prime example of somebody with a heightened sense of importance living on a completely different planet than the rest of us.
I wouldn’t consider the judiciary corrupt, out of touch is another matter, though.
Or perhaps just having an opinion that differs from yours- oh no!
The only citizens who have any faith in the irish judiciary are ones that ain’t been in court in over a decade or the deluded ones that still have blind faith in the rest of our joke of a system
Tatler did that report just after they gave Joan her women of the year award.
I don’t trust them.
I don’t. Judges are corrupt dirtbirds.
I’ll start trusting them when they lock up the charlatans in the DAIL.
Having spent 2 years in court over 3 grams of cannabis which cost the state 10,000. No I am not very confidence in that system, although I legislation change would fix that.
So the revolving door prison system, laughable police force, and criminal tourists aren’t of concern? Only in Ireland.
This is a Eu body report.
By EU standards it is upstanding, fair and trustworthy.
Lol more comedy
Say what? I trust no one not even my shadow that’s a sneaky little thing following you around all day. No faith in justice, courts, police, TD’s, not even in the president.
I guess thats a normal comment coming from a non national
Where did these guys get their information, from the Beano?
Low levels of political corruption, competence and fairness in the legal system? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Seriousy deluded finding. I wouldnt be of their opinion what so ever. Mind boggling
How come they’ve sided with the govt on water charges and not looked at the legality of forcing contracts on people. It’s insane really.
Are they f*cking joking?
” Seem to trust” ? What does that mean or imply? Judges seem to be overpaid? Are they? They seem to make inconsistent , and contradictory judgments. . They seem to be independent, but as political appointees are they. ? I wonder what Louise O’ Keeffe thinks about them.?
Another delusional report. There really wacking them out these days.
It’s actually hard to make out what the report says to be honest.
This case of an ex-judge is all you need to know about our ‘judges’ http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Curtin
The judiciary are owned by the government, all appointed by politicians and know their masters. Were the government to lift the embargo on banks calling in judicial debts, there would be many a defrocked judge and SC. So manners and doing masters bidding is a given. No garlic on my patch, white collar to the back bone old boy!
Justice Denham I’m sure that you don’t have the right to speak for the majority of Irish people. Its not fare that just because you are a judge in the courts that you think people are treated fairly. I had a case in the High Court and I could never say that there was any fairness there. If anything it was because of corruption that I lost my case.
Even I have to question those findings.
Really? I don’t agree. They’re all part of the elite 1%. With money, comes greed and power, with power comes back handers.
“It is also noted that the reduction of public salaries due to the financial crisis may have compromised the constitutional safeguarding of judges independent and professional standards”.
I was taking the article seriously until I read the last paragraph. Who was surveyed – the Judges and barristers?
Is it me or is Susan deneham a doppelganger of Tony sopranos mother
Politically appointed judges hardly ever actually jailing criminals, what planet are these muppets on? Judges are a joke in Ireland and not trusted.
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