The Sheedy affair may give fresh impetus to existing moves by the Minister for Justice to introduce measures to make the judiciary more accountable.
The Irish Times has learned that before the Sheedy case broke, Mr O'Donoghue had already asked the Chief Justice to consider establishing a body within the judicial system which could examine allegations of judicial misconduct.
This question will be given new urgency by the fall-out of the Sheedy case and the Chief Justice's report, which was critical of two members of the judiciary.
The Minister's moves on the matter followed a report from the Working Group on the Courts Commission under the chairmanship of Mrs Justice Susan Denham. The issue of judicial accountability was one of a number considered by this committee, and a report on the subject sent to the Minister in November of last year.
The report has not been published, but it is understood it raised the question of what to do where there was a difficulty with ethics or judicial conduct, given the constitutional guarantee of the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary.
Among the types of problem considered was the question of delays in dealing with cases and allegations of judicial misconduct. While the presidents of the different courts, District, Circuit, High and Supreme, already have certain powers, these are limited.
The committee examined the practice in a number of other common law jurisdictions, such as the US, Canada and Australia. It recommended that these be examined closely here, and that the Chief Justice set up a committee to consider these proposals, in the context of the constitutional guarantee of judicial independence. The Minister will now, in conjunction with the Chief Justice, consider them as a matter of some urgency.
Mr Dick Roche, Fianna Fail TD for Wicklow, told The Irish Times yesterday that it gave the Dail the opportunity to decide on what its relationship was with the courts.
"No one would suggest there should be any interference in cases or the interpretation of law," he said. "But there is a role for the Oireachtas in how cases are handled. It is not at all clear how we can intervene in ensuring that citizens' rights are upheld. How cases are handled and scheduled should be under scrutiny either by an ombudsman or the Oireachtas."