Tributes have been paid to the late Mr Justice Paul Carney, who died on Wednesday at the age of 72.
The outspoken Judge retired from the Central Criminal Court in April.
Expressing her condolences the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said Justice Carney made a huge contribution to the High Court bench, in particular in presiding over many high profile criminal law trials and will be greatly missed.
Justice Carney was "was a judge of exceptional ability who made a huge contribution to the High Court bench, in particular in presiding over many high profile criminal law trials," she said.
"I know he will be greatly missed and sadly he did not get to enjoy the benefits of a long and well-deserved retirement."
Earlier today The Law Society of Ireland has described him as one of Ireland's greatest ever criminal judges, while the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, says he will be greatly missed.
Carney retired from the Central Criminal Court in April, where he presided over a long career dealing with more than 100 murder and rape trials.
In a statement this afternoon, the President of the High Court Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said it is a sad loss and he will be greatly missed.
"The news today of the death of Mr Justice Paul Carney, coming as it does so soon after his recent retirement, is a sad loss for his family and for the judiciary which he served with such distinction for so many years," he said.
"He was the pre-eminent criminal law judge in the Central Criminal Court in our time, presiding in a long career over well more than a hundred murder and rape trials".
"He did so with exemplary fairness throughout, a fact acknowledged by not only by practitioners but in many instances also by those standing trial before him".
"He will be greatly missed, particularly by his colleagues in the High Court, who held him in such high esteem".
Judge Carney was called to the Bar in Ireland in 1966, and was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1991.
Mr Justice Carney had his share of controversies over a long and distinguished career.
He also had health issues in recent times.
Late last year, he told a jury in a rape trial that he had been brought back from hospital to give them legal directions.
The jury foreman asked who he should direct any questions to in the judge’s absence. "Anything that arises I hope to deal with over the telephone. If it's insoluble over the telephone I'll have to be brought back," Mr Justice Carney replied.
He was married to Marjorie Young, who is also in practice at the Irish Bar, and the couple had four children.
