Other proceedings: Irish Times political correspondent Mark Hennessy has been criticised by a High Court judge for remarks he made on RTÉ's Prime Time programme.
Judge Barry White said in the High Court the media had incorrectly portrayed an adjournment by him of an Article 40 application seeking the release of a man jailed for having had unlawful carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old girl until yesterday as having been an adjournment granted to await the Supreme Court's decision. He had made it clear the adjournment was being granted until 4pm yesterday to enable the State to prepare its arguments.
Judge White said Prime Time presenter Miriam O'Callaghan had on Thursday evening asked Mark Hennessy on the programme how big a crisis the Government was facing over the Supreme Court's striking down of Section 1 of the 1935 Criminal Law Amendment Act.
Judge White quoted Hennessy as having said the Government was badly rattled by the matter, but it might have "a bit of a breather" as there had been "a certain indication from the courts already that they're keen to perhaps boot this down the pitch.
"Judge Barry White, for instance, when he was dealing with one of the cases, booted it forward until the Supreme Court judgment was known. That's very unusual. In habeas corpus cases there's usually a decision made," he quoted Hennessy as saying.
Judge White said Hennessy was incorrect to suggest he had "booted" the case until the Supreme Court judgment was known.
"There is a clear innuendo in Mr Hennessy's words that my motivation or actions yesterday [Thursday] in adjourning this matter were politically motivated," Judge White said.
"I reject that suggestion and I resent that suggestion." He said he would "always honour" the declaration he made in the Supreme Court on his appointment to the High Court bench.
Judge White adjourned the application for the release of Joseph Sherwood (19), Grange, Edenderry, Co Offaly, until the new law term.