Judicial council to sanction judges for misconduct

CIVIL rights defenders welcomed the long-awaited announcement of a judicial council to investigate judges for misconduct, including possible sanctions.

Following 10 years of argument over its inception, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern yesterday announced the setting-up of the judicial council. But the Heads of Bill do not allow for a judge to be removed from office, and probe will be held in private and will not name the judiciary publicly.

Complainants must also lodge issues with the judicial council and its committees within six months of an incident involving a judge and must be directly affected by a matter or be witness to it.