The participation of Supreme Court judge Mr Justice John MacMenamin, who will represent the Association of Judges of Ireland (AJI) in the “silent march” in Warsaw this Saturday, will be the first time the association has participated in a public protest either in Ireland or abroad.

It reflects a deep concern felt by the AJI over a series of measures introduced by Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) granting the government greater control over the selection and discipline of the judiciary. Although the body does not formally represent the judiciary, the vast majority of Irish judges are members.