District Court judge backs reform to process of appointing court presidents

The presidencies of both the District Court and the Circuit Court are set to become vacant next year as Judge Rosemary Horgan and Mr Justice Raymond Groarke’s seven-year terms come to an end.

Judge Anthony Halpin, in a letter to The Irish Times, said the process for appointing their successors is “generally unknown, secretive, guarded and exclusively within the discretion of the government”.

He said the vacancies “are not even advertised nor tendered to open competition within the judiciary nor are they open to other eligible candidates from the legal profession”.

Judge Halpin pointed out that the Government had created a “non-statutory advisory committee” last year which invited expressions of interest in the position of Chief Justice, a departure from the process to date.

He encouraged the Government to “follow their above mentioned precedent and consider setting up a similar non-statutory advisory committee to invite expressions of interest from eligible candidates for the positions of presidency of the District and Circuit Courts”.

A spokesperson for Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said that the Government had brought amendments to the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill concerning the appointment of court presidents.