Government can subject judges’ salaries to the same levy that applies to public sector workers

MAY I say how much I agree with the letter from Brendan Cafferty headlined ‘Judges should agree to take a cut in salary’ (March 3).

While the explanatory memorandum to the relevant legislation, Financial Emergency Legislation in the Public Interest Bill 2009, states that the constitution would invalidate legislation imposing the levy on judges, in fact this is just plain wrong.

The relevant provision of the constitution is Article 35.5, which states: “The remuneration of a judge shall not be reduced during his continuance in office.”