The role of the victim in the irish criminal process

• Author: Paul Carney
• Position: Judge of the High Court
• Pages: 7-17

2007] The Role of The Victim in the 7

Irish Criminal Process

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THE ROLE OF THE VICTIM IN

THE IRISH CRIMINAL PROCESS

THE HON. MR. JUSTICE PAUL CARNEY∗

In the first instance I want to say how flattered and grateful I

am to have been appointed Adjunct Professor of Law in this

college. This is an appointment which I will assiduously cherish,

and foster even closer relations than already exist between the

undergraduate and postgraduate students of this college and the

institution of the Central Criminal Court. It seems to me a very

European thing to do to appoint a serving judge to a position of

this kind.

The first part of the induction process of Adjunct Professors

is to take tea with the President of the college in his magnificent

suite of offices and this I did some months ago. When leaving I

said that some might not be enthusiastic about my being delivered

this independent platform and I thought for a moment that I saw

the President’s face fall and the ‘whatever have I let myself in for

here’ look come over his countenance for less than a second.

Professor Fennell did not show any such reaction.

I have decided that for the duration of my term my statutory

lectures should be devoted to the topic of the role of the victim in

the Irish criminal process. There are two great issues which must

be faced:

1. Conduct on the part of the victim which might lead to a

liability for contempt of court; and

2. The building up by the media of selected victims into such

an iconic status that other participants in the trial process,

including the judge, are handicapped in the discharge of

their independent roles.

∗ Judge of the High Court. Text of inaugural address delivered at University

College Cork, 24 November 2006, on appointment as Adjunct Professor of

Law at UCC Faculty of Law.