A judge was widely condemned today after he described women as "getting drunk", "acting like alley cats" and "fighting like savages".
Judge Michael Connellan's comments came as he freed defendant Mr Andrew Halpin, who had admitted punching a woman and knocking her down.
Garda Niall Daly told Newbridge District Court last Thursday that Mr Halpin was attacked by three people in the town in the early hours of the morning last August.
Garda Daly said: "He was on the ground trying to protect himself but he retaliated when he got back on his feet and punched a woman in the face, knocking her over. He was very drunk."
Giving Mr Halpin, a computer network engineer from Kildare town, the benefit of the Probation Act, Judge Connellan said: "You had better learn how to drink or it will get you into trouble. You should drink like a man."
He said: "It seems to me that women are getting drunk and acting like alley cats. Then they are fighting like savages.
"I can't say I blame the man for hitting her if she attacked him."
National Women's Council chief executive Ms Christine Ross described the judge's comments as "particularly offensive".
She said: "The focus of a judge trying a case should be on ensuring that the person committing the act is properly censured. In this case he has chosen to look at women in general. The law should protect people against violence."
Fine Gael spokeswoman on equality Ms Frances Fitzgerald said: "We have to be constantly vigilant about how judges express their attitudes because they play such a role in society."
Progressive Democrats councillor Ms Fiona O'Malley said: "The judge's remarks could easily be interpreted as condoning violence against women."
A spokesman for the Courts Service would not comment on the matter.
PA