Curtin faces huge legal bill

Circuit Court Judge Brian Curtin faces a massive legal bill of around €1m after the Supreme Court today dismissed his application for costs following his failed legal challenge.

The seven-judge court ruled that Judge Curtin must pay half the costs from his High Court proceedings and half the costs from the Supreme Court.

The taxpayer will foot the other half of the bill.

Legal sources estimate the total amount could run to €2m.

Judge Curtin had challenged through the courts, the power of the Oireachtas to set up a cross-party committee to investigate his personal life.

Last month the Supreme Court cleared the way for the committee to prove allegations that the judge had accessed child pornography from his home computer.