The Chief Justice has moved this evening to calm tensions between the judiciary and Government, but has warned judges not to be conducting their dispute in public.

Mrs. Justice Susan Denham has praised the Justice Minister and announced that a new channel of communication between both sides has been established.

Addressing students at the Griffith College Law Society Mrs. Justice Denham announced a proposal she put for a forum so the judiciary and government can communicate with each other has been accepted and established.

"Because of the concerns of the Judiciary, I suggested to the Government that there should be more regular engagement to facilitate constructive discussion on these and other matters of mutual concern and interest to the Judiciary and the Executive. This process of engagement has now commenced, and a further meeting was held last Monday. In due course I intend to meet the Taoiseach to discuss the issues of mutual concern that emerge" she said.

While back-channels via the Attorney-General will remain in place this new forum is to allow for more structured dialogue.

'Attorney-General is the proper route'

In a clear signal to fellow judges not to be conducting this row in public, Mrs. Justice Denham says the avenue of contact with government via the Attorney-General has been and remains the proper route.

"While I have had constructive discussions with the Taoiseach on matters relevant to the Executive and the Judiciary, the normal conduit between the Judiciary and the Executive is the Attorney General. That avenue of contact continues as a positive and proper route" she said.

The Chief Justice acknowledged she's had constructive dialogue with the Justice Minister on reforms and issues such as the court of criminal appeal.

And she praises the judiciary whom she says have taken pay cuts of around 25% and shown themselves to be adaptive through the economic crisis, while patriotically maintaining the rule of law and democratic nature of the State.