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A scheduled meeting between Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe and Chief Justice Frank Clarke was canceled Thursday after the Chief Justice received a “compelling medical report.”
It is the fourth time that a proposed meeting between the two men has been postponed to discuss the consequences of Mr. Justice Woulfe’s attendance at the “Golfgate” dinner in Co Galway last August.
In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, Judge Clarke said he had previously received correspondence that included a “compelling medical report to the effect that [Mr Justice Woulfe] it is not in a position to participate in the resolution process at this time. ”
The Supreme Court has been involved in an informal process to try to resolve the controversy caused by Mr. Justice Woulfe’s attendance at Clifden’s dinner.
After a meeting scheduled for last Tuesday was adjourned at the request of Mr. Justice Woulfe, the Chief Justice said that if the meeting did not continue on Thursday, he will “make alternate arrangements to convey his final views on the process to Mr. . “
However, on Thursday he received correspondence regarding the planned meeting and a statement was subsequently issued.
“While it is important that the Chief Justice respect the confidentiality and privacy of Mr. Justice Woulfe,” the statement said, “the correspondence included a convincing medical report to the effect that [Mr Justice Woulfe] You are not in a position to participate in the resolution process at this time.
“Consequently, it was necessary to cancel the meeting. The Chief Justice is committed to bringing the process to a conclusion as soon as possible and appropriate to do so. “
Former Chief Justice Susan Denham submitted a commissioned report to the Supreme Court on the matter in which she said that while Mr. Justice Woulfe should not have attended the dinner, given the pandemic, it would be disproportionate and unfair for will be asked. give up.
She recommended to the court that the matter be resolved informally, and the court issued a brief statement on October 1 indicating that it intended to do so.
The next day, a Friday, the Judicial Council board released a transcript of Judge Woulfe’s interview with Judge Denham, sparking yet another controversy.
That same day, three Supreme Court justices met with Mr. Justice Woulfe and it was agreed that he would meet with the Chief Justice on Monday.
It is widely reported that Judge Woulfe, who has yet to publicly comment on the Denham report, was surprised by the views expressed during his meeting with his three judicial colleagues.
The meeting scheduled for Monday was not held at his request. A meeting the following Friday was canceled, again at the request of Mr. Judge Woulfe, for medical reasons.
Justice Woulfe was Attorney General in the last government and was appointed to the Supreme Court in July. You have yet to sit down to hear a case.
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