Vol. 197 No. 8
asked the Minister for Justice whether his attention has been called to a report of an alleged statement by a district justice that he would increase the fine by £1 for each question asked by the solicitor representing the defendant; whether the report is accurate; if not, what exactly was stated; and what action he proposes to take in reference thereto.
49.
asked the Minister for Justice if, with reference to a report that a district justice at a Muine Bheag Court on 26th September last told a solicitor that, for every question he would ask, a further one pound would be added to the fine the justice had decided to impose upon the solicitor's client, he or the President of the District Court has taken any action in the matter; and what steps will be taken to ensure that the like does not happen again.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together.
At my request, the President of the District Court inquired into this matter. While the words used were substantially as reported in the newspapers, the reports did not convey the sense in which they were used which was in the nature of a humorous aside with the intention of being helpful to the defence.
I do not consider that any further action is called for.
Is the Minister serious?
The justice was not, he said.
I think I should say to the Deputy—and I am sure he will agree with me—that, as Minister, I would be glad if district justices on the bench would confine themselves to dealing in a practical, equitable and commonsense manner with the cases which come before them and would resist any temptation to hit the headlines with obiter dicta of one kind or another.
Hear, hear.
It is wholly reprehensible. We hope it will not ever happen again.
I should like to reiterate, however, that in this case, the intention of the district justice was to be helpful to the defence.
