FG Senator explains law body censure

Cork solicitor and Fine Gael Senator Colm Burke has sought to explain the events which led to him being censured by the Law Society of Ireland.

Mr Burke, a former Lord mayor of cork, was found guilty by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal of misleading an applicant client. He was ordered to pay €3,000 to the society’s compensation fund as well as €500 towards the expenses of the applicant.

In a statement, Mr Burke told how, in 2004, his legal practice and another found that the deduction of 80% of the pensions of public nursing home patients was illegal. He said as a result, emergency legislation was passed a short time later by the Government of the day, “to protect the procedure that was in place and also legalised the previous deductions”.