Judge O'Connor misconduct allegations
Deputy Murphy described repeated allegations that retired Kerry judge James O'Connor pursued vulnerable women for sexual relationships while presiding over family law cases. The Taoiseach called it a very serious matter, noted existing mechanisms had not delivered a satisfactory conclusion, and said he would consult on next steps.
On 14 July, I raised with the Taoiseach the gross abuse of power by a retired Kerry judge, James O'Connor. I explained how he had abused his position, persistently and completely inappropriately, to pursue a vulnerable woman, who was before his court on a family law matter, for a sexual relationship. During the summer, I was contacted by another woman, who told me a very similar story relating to the same judge. She too was before him on a family law matter.
He approached her repeatedly, he got her number and then he persistently pursued her. There are multiple incidents, so I will not go through all of them. I will quote one incident she related to me. She said:
He rang me another day and said he had stuff for my case. He told me to meet him at the back door of the courthouse. I went to the back door. He was waiting. He said he did not have the paperwork with him. He brought me in there to get the paperwork. Then he lunged at me. I pushed him and left. He obviously felt he could have done anything he wanted to.
That is Ms B. in Michael Clifford's story in The Examiner today. There is also a Ms C.
Comment on this
There is clearly a repeated pattern of abusive behaviour by James O'Connor. What is the Government going to do to stop this type of thing happening again?
Comment on this
The Deputy has raised a very serious issue. The first case, when I read up on it and so forth, went to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. The existing mechanisms and investigative authorities have not been in a position to bring this to what one would anticipate the conclusion should be. Governments do not engage in the operational side of prosecution and so forth, but this matter raises very serious issues on which I will be consulting with others in terms of how to deal with them. However, there is an overall issue that the Oireachtas and the Executive cannot investigate every case. There is a real issue here regarding the authorities and how diligently assertions and allegations of this nature are followed up and dealt with comprehensively, because they have not been dealt with comprehensively in this case. I am very concerned about it and about what I have read today in the articles the Deputy mentioned. I will give further consideration to this and revert to the Deputy.