The Non-Impeachment of Judge Brian Curtin

national | crime and justice | other press

Monday November 13, 2006 18:05

by C Murray

The judge resigns on the First Day of the Impeachment Process.

Judge Brian Curtin has tabled his resignation , thus alleiviating the Oireachtas of the
onerous task of the first impeachment of a sitting Judge in the history of the State.

The Committee which would begin the process of impeaching the judge
held it's first investigatory meeting in Dublin this morning.

There had been no last minute legal challenges by the Curtin legal team to the impeachment
process.

The resignation tabled by Justice Curtin, therefore, removes from the
impeachment Committee the onerous task of his removal from the bench.
It was reported here on 17th of September that the Judge could
take an opt-out from the process through resignation on the grounds of ill-health:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/78449

Judge Curtin does not now have to be impeached and retains a handsome State
pension. The validity of his claim of innocence has never been tested in an open
court because he was acquitted on a technicality.

The Committee was set up by Tanaiste and Minister For Justice Michael Mc Dowell
and was due to sit for a number of weeks. The State had invited the testimony of
US Police and UK computer experts . The Committee were to adjudge the suitability
of his remaining in office as a result of the Operation Amethyst Child Pornography
arrests and were to report directly to the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice.

In this instance the work of the Committee is necessarily stopped.
No criminal charges have been profferred against the judge.
He retains his State Pension.