My image is probably used as a dartboard

IT’S not every judge who can admit that his image is probably used as a dartboard by officials in the Court Service and Department of Justice during their tea-break.

Judge John Neilan recognises that his years in District No 9 have raised eyebrows.

“I have my critics, life wouldn’t be worthwhile without them,” said the Roscommon native.

“I am appalled by the arrogance of people in various positions, including the judiciary,” said the judge who has not held back on criticising the country’s institutions.

These include the Courts Service which he has described as “totally, absolutely, utterly incompetent from the CEO down” and so removed from the reality that they were merely “moving figures around a screen”.

In the last month alone he asked why parents who can afford to post bail for their children can’t pay their legal fees and poured scorn on a system that allows someone who steals a sausage almost immediate free legal aid, while debtors accessing civil legal aid are busy “filling out a load of forms and sending them to Dublin” to officials busy drinking cups of coffee.

He has also suggested prospective clients of a prominent legal firm might have to genuflect before being admitted to see a senior partner and when they filed incomplete applications with the court, paraphrased another judge and questioned whether they should be allowed to even “mind sweets”.

On his last day in Edenderry before moving to sit in Athlone, he declared himself undeserving of compliments from those who appreciated his compassion, conscientiousness and the positive impact he’d had on the town.

He declared that hearing John F Kennedy say, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”, had left an “indelible mark” on him.

There was even a tear or two as an alcoholic who had appeared before him on numerous occasions tried in vain not to cry.

Judge Neilan wished the woman might find some silver lining in the dark cloud of her life and dismissed her public order summonses under the Probation Act, his last act before adjourning the court.

- Claire O’Brien – Irish Independent, Dec. 6, 2008