Committee chairman welcomes ruling on Curtin challenge

The chairman of the Oireachtas committee set up to investigate alleged misbehaviour by Circuit Court Judge Brian Curtin has welcomed the Supreme Court's rejection of his challenge to the inquiry.

The committee was set up after the judge was cleared of possessing child pornography in May 2004 due to a technicality.

One of its first moves was to order Judge Curtin to hand over his computer and other equipment.

However, it has not held any further hearings pending the outcome of Judge Curtin's legal challenge, which was rejected by the Supreme Court today.

Responding to the ruling, Fianna Fáil TD Denis O'Donovan said he was pleased with the outcome and the committee now intended to press ahead with its investigation without delay.

"We intend to meet the week after next and we will continue then where we left off," he said.