McCracken receives seal of appointment

Mr Justice Brian McCracken, who was presented with his seal of appointment as a Supreme Court judge by President McAleese yesterday, is best-known for the tribunal he chaired into payments made to politicians and their parties by Mr Ben Dunne.

The McCracken tribunal, which was set up in February 1997, is widely regarded as a model of fairness and efficiency. Mr Justice McCracken's report, delivered only six months later, has been praised for its clarity and for unearthing a vast amount of well-hidden evidence.

He found a former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, had given untrue evidence under oath and a Fine Gael minister, Mr Michael Lowry, was "knowingly assisted" by Mr Dunne in evading tax.

The favourable response to the tribunal report prompted the general secretary of the Law Society, Mr Ken Murphy, to credit him with restoring the image of the legal profession. The Moriarty tribunal was subsequently set up to inquire further into Mr Haughey and Mr Lowry. After five years, it is still sitting.

Mr Justice McCracken (68), from Co Cork, is married with one son and one daughter.

He was called to the Bar in 1957 and took silk in 1975. His large legal practice dealt mainly in chancery and the commercial area.

In the legal world, he is well-liked and regarded as scrupulously fair. Although not afraid to speak his mind, according to colleagues, he prefers to avoid the limelight.

As a senior counsel, he was involved in one of the State's largest negligence cases, for up to £550 million, when AIB and Icarom, a legal remnant of the failed Insurance Corporation of Ireland, sued auditors Ernst and Whinney. During the beef tribunal he represented the then Tánaiste, Mr Dick Spring. In January 1995, he was appointed to the High Court by the Rainbow Coalition.

One of his first major cases was the high-profile libel action taken by the politician Mr Prionsias De Rossa against the Sunday Independent, following an article by columnist Éamon Dunphy.

Eight days into the hearing, Mr Justice McCracken discharged the jury after an article written by Mr Gene Kerrigan appeared the previous Sunday. He awarded all costs to Mr De Rossa and the case was adjourned.

On the Supreme Court, he succeeds Mr Justice Francis Murphy, who has retired.