Gerry Adams: Judges can make mistakes

Gerry Adams has questioned the ability of the judiciary, saying that judges can make mistakes.

Repeating his defence of convicted tax evader Slab Murphy whose case was heard before the three-judge Special Criminal Court, Mr Adams said that trial by jury is the “safest process”.

“We have been opposed to the Special Criminal Court consistently in every single vote in Leinster House,” he said.

This was backed up by Sinn Féin’s justice spokesman Padraig Mac Lochlainn who said Mary Robinson and the Irish Council of Civil Liberties have expressed concern over the court.

Mr Mac Lochlainn said: “The fundamental right of a citizen is to be tried by a jury of their peers. Sinn Féin are not alone in our criticism of it and it is not because Tom Murphy has been convicted, we have criticised it year in year out.”

Thomas ’Slab’ Murphy

Mr Mac Lochlainn singled out former Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who have been critical of the party’s stance, describing their comments as “extraordinary”.

“I believe that they are doing more to undermine the criminal justice system in the State because they have suggested that the Sp ecial Criminal Court should be permanent. The court was designed for war times, we are not in a war situation,” he said.

Mr Adams yesterday maintained that Murphy should not have been brought before the Special Criminal Court, where he was convicted of tax evasion last week.

“The special criminal court is not the agency for dealing with issues such as that that has been alleged against Tom Murphy,” he said. “Do I think that judges can’t make mistakes, no I don’t, I think judges can make mistakes and I think the certainty for citizens is that we are tried by our peers. That’s the safest process and juries can make mistakes as well, but that’s the safest process.”

Asked if he would accept any rulings of the Central Criminal Court, he said he would wait until Murphy’s sentence is handed down on February 12.

“Let’s wait until we see in February what the court says. The court actually acknowledged it didn’t have very much experience dealing with these cases and asked the prosecution to come back with some examples with how these types of cases were dealt with in the past. So let’s wait until that process is finished,” Mr Adams said.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris said: “Judges have made mistakes in the past so have juries but it’s the constitutional right of every person to have the opportunity if he comes before the courts to be tried by his peers,” the Kerry TD said.

Martin Ferris

Mr Adams said Sinn Féin has campaigned against the court and “it really hasn’t got a lot to do with Tom Murphy”.

“We have voted against it for as long as Sinn Féin has had representation in the Dáil, we have voted against the Offences against the State Act when it has come up for renewal and we have been against the Special Criminal Court,” he said.