Woulfe impeachment unlikely as party leaders fail to reach consensus

TDs will meet again next week to discuss Séamus Woulfe, the Supreme Court judge who attended the Golfgate dinner in August and has refused to resign after being advised to do so by the Chief Justice. File Picture.

The impeachment of Supreme Court judge Seamus Woulfe is looking less likely after a meeting between the Taoiseach and opposition leaders found no consensus on the issue.

Among the opposition leaders, there is growing acceptance that there is "no appetite" to begin the lengthy impeachment process, though the leaders will write to the Ceann Comhairle asking that the Oireachtas seek legal advice on how impeachment proceedings would proceed.

Friday's meeting, which lasted for just under two hours, saw leaders invited to discuss the ongoing impasse on Mr Woulfe's refusal to resign after being advised to by Chief Justice Frank Clarke over his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in August.

After the meeting, the opposition leaders said that no consensus was reached and another meeting is likely early next week. 

Within the Government, ministers have said that the Government is seeking an avenue to "dump" the issue back to Chief Justice Clarke.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that the Government had been "cautious" but "recognised there is a problem".

"There is concern that the impeachment process is drawn out."

Labour leader Alan Kelly said that "key issues" needed to be resolved.

"We have partial documentation between Justice Woulfe and Chief Justice Clarke. That is widely accepted."

Mattie McGrath said that the Government was "quite cautious" and was in "an unenviable position".

"The judiciary has kicked it across the river for us to deal with. But the full Oireachtas should be conscious of powers. But the problem here is the process of Mr Woulfe's appointment."

Mr McGrath said that the issue could have been avoided if the controversial Judicial Appointments Bill, passed by the last government, had been enacted.