We need to be very, very careful about allowing politicians to pressure judges, in particular on the matter of pay. I saw yesterday that one of the FG spokesmen is demanding a referendum on the issue of judges' pay.
We have seen the utter disgrace our political class has made of the planning, banking, environmental and regulatory systems in this country by exerting their malevolent influence. It should be a matter of great pride that this country has, and has always had (bar the one or two well-known scandals) a judiciary that is incorruptible and that manages to avoid bending to the political whims of the day.
We will rue the day we allow the likes of Willie O'Dea, or his counterparts in Fine Gael, to decide on judicial remuneration.