A District Court judge who said women were getting drunk, "acting like alley cats" and "fighting like savages" has been strongly criticised.
Judge Michael Connellan, dealing with an assault charge arising from an incident in Newbridge, Co Kildare, last August, said: "It seems to me that women are getting drunk and acting like alley cats. Then they are fighting like savages. I can't say I blame the man for hitting her if she had attacked him."
At Newbridge District Court last Thursday, Andrew Halpin, a computer network engineer, of Ruanbeg Park, Kildare town, pleaded guilty to being drunk in a public place and of threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.
The judge told the defendant that he should learn how to "drink like a man".
Ms Christine Ross, chief executive of the National Women's Council, said that the judge's remarks seemed to imply that violence was acceptable because drink was involved.
The comments showed that, in some cases, judges were in need of gender awareness training and training on issues involved in violence against women, Ms Ross added.
Ms Frances Fitzgerald, the Fine Gael TD, said that the comments raised the important issue of the "sensitivity of the judiciary to violence against women". She added, however, that there were judges who were extremely sensitive in dealing with such cases.
Ms Jan O'Sullivan, the Labour TD, said it appeared that the judge was defending physical violence against women, which was "unacceptable".
Ms Breda Raggett, national president of the Irish Countrywomen's Association, called on the judge to apologise, saying that his comments about women were "highly offensive".
Mr Halpin was given the benefit of the Probation Act despite admitting that he had knocked the woman to the ground with a blow to the head.
The court heard that Mr Halpin had been attacked by three people on the morning in question. A Garda witness told the court: "He was on the ground, trying to protect himself. But he retaliated when he got back on his feet and punched a woman in the face, knocking her over."