Taxpayers to foot bill for Judge Curtin’s legal battle

TAXPAYERS will foot the bill for Judge Brian Curtin’s legal costs as he battles against impeachment, it emerged last night.

The Oireachtas committee probing the conduct of the judge "reluctantly” agreed to the demand from his lawyers in a private session.

Legal sources estimate the judge’s defence costs could finally come in at between €500,000 and €1 million.

Oireachtas committee chairman Denis O’Donovan said its seven members agreed to the controversial move after receiving legal advice that to refuse it could tie the issue up in court for up to nine months with no guarantee of a ruling in the committee’s favour.

“We had no choice. We did this with reluctance.

“If we had not agreed the whole issue could have gone to court for six to nine months.

“We are keen to conclude our work as quickly as possible. We have already been put on ice for 18 months because of actions in the courts,” the Cork TD said.

The Oireachtas inquiry was set up after the Circuit Court judge was suspected of possessing child pornography in April 2004. It was subsequently ruled gardaí had improperly executed a search warrant that led to the seizure of a personal computer.

The TD said he was hopeful, the judge’s computer, which is in the hands of gardaí will now be able to be examined within weeks.

Judge Curtin’s legal costs will be subject to tax.

A formula was agreed at yesterday’s committee meeting whereby an Oireachtas-appointed expert and one nominated by the judge will search the computer.

The committee is expected to name a British-based computer expert to act on their behalf next week.

Earlier this month the Supreme Court awarded Judge Curtin half of the costs of the High Court and Supreme Court challenges he took contesting the procedures adopted by the Oireachtas to remove him from office.

Mr O’Donovan said he hoped the committee would provide its report to the Oireachtas by the end of July, paving the way for an impeachment motion to be debated in early autumn.

The committee must be dissolved when the next general election is called.

Judge Curtin is unlikely to appear in person before the committee.