Mr Paul Gilligan SC has been appointed a judge of the High Court. Mr Gilligan (54) was educated at Blackrock College, Dublin, UCD and King's Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1971, to the English Bar in 1981 and became an SC in 1984.
He had an extensive general practice, represented the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, at the McCracken tribunal and was legal adviser to the late Mr Jim Mitchell when he chaired the DIRT inquiry.
He is married to Ms Mary Cantrell, a solicitor, and they have four children. He is a son of the late Dublin solicitor, F. W. Gilligan.
Letterfrack brother on buggery charges
Gardaí investigating alleged sexual abuse by members of the Christian Brothers at Letterfrack, Co Galway, yesterday charged a former brother with 36 counts of indecent assault and 24 of buggery.
The man, who now lives in Co Louth, appeared before Dundalk District Court and was remanded on bail to appear before Galway District Court next Monday.
Garda suspended over child porn
A member of the Garda Síochána has been suspended from the force in connection with child pornography charges.
Garda sources confirmed last night that a garda from the Dublin Metropolitan Region had been suspended within the past few days as a result of an investigation by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The garda is to appear in the District Court next March to face charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998.
Man on Continuity IRA charge freed
One of eight men accused of membership of an illegal organisation, the Continuity IRA, was freed by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday.
Chief Supt Sean Feeley said he believed Mr Matt Conway was a member of an unlawful organisation on December 19th, 2001, but the charge against him specified membership on December 17th, 2001.
Following the officer's evidence, Mr Conway's counsel, Mr Gerard O'Brien SC, applied to the court for a direction to find his client not guilty. Mr John Edwards SC, prosecuting, said the DPP did not oppose the application.
Mr Justice Butler, presiding, said the court entered a verdict of not guilty by direction of the court against Mr Conway and discharged him.
Mr Conway (67), of Nicholas Street, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, who is a member of Republican Sinn Féin's ardcomhairle, had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on December 17th, 2001.
Judge refers case to Circuit Court
A judge yesterday refused jurisdiction in a health and safety case relating to the death of a four-year-old boy allegedly hit by a vehicle working on the Ballymun regeneration project a year and a half ago.
PJ Carey (Construction) Ltd, with registered offices at Wembley, Middlesex, England, faces six counts of allegedly breaching safety regulations on August 22nd, 2001, at the Main Street/Link Road of the Ballymun regeneration project.
Dublin District Court heard it was alleged the accident involving the boy occurred within an area to which public vehicles did not have access but to which cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians did. The boy died after allegedly being hit when a vehicle was reversed.
Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick said as the case involved a fatality, it could be sent to the Circuit Court, which can impose unlimited fines.