The former President of the High Court Mr Justice Peter Kelly (pictured) has resigned as a judge of the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (DIFC).

His decision comes after the former chief justice Frank Clarke resigned from the court over the weekend.

The two had been among four new judges appointed to the DIFC by Dubai ruler and president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a virtual swearing-in ceremony last week.

The financial centre has been given the power under UAE law to create its own legal and regulatory framework to deal with any claims or disputes arising within the centre.

Controversy

Mr Justice Kelly told The Irish Times: “I have decided to resign from the Court of Appeal of the DIFC since, as a private citizen, I do not want this controversy to disrupt my future time in retirement.”

On Saturday, Mr Justice Clarke had said that he was concerned that the controversy over his appointment could have an impact on the work of the Law Reform Commission (LRC), of which he was appointed president last month.

The appointment of the two judges had attracted some political criticism, with Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik expressing particular concern about the former chief justice’s appointment to the DIFC while also being president of the LRC.

Bacik said that the two judges had made “appropriate and sensible” decisions to resign.