Mick Clifford: Use of interpreters a necessary expense in unequal system

A judge in Portlaoise recently claimed she was sick of 'people hiding behind interpreters' in her court but they remain crucial in the pursuit of justice, writes Mick Clifford

Judge Miriam Walsh has an issue with interpreters. The judge recently told Portlaoise District Court that she was “sick to the back teeth of people hiding behind interpreters” in her court. Picture: iStock

Are interpreters in court costing that fabled citizen, The Taxpayer, too much? Should we cut back on the cost, tell some of these foreign nationals to listen a bit harder, interpret for themselves what is going through maybe body language or something?

Judge Miriam Walsh has an issue with interpreters. The judge recently told Portlaoise District Court that she was “sick to the back teeth of people hiding behind interpreters” in her court.