IRLI, an all-island not-for-profit organisation established to promote the rule of law worldwide, hosted Ukrainian judges Oleksandr Marchuk, Oleksandra Yanovska, Iryna Shapovalova, Maryna Bondarenko, Svitlana Muratova and Oleksandr Harskyi.

The visit’s primary aim was to share with the Ukrainian judges expertise across the island of Ireland in the areas of international criminal law, international humanitarian law and open-source investigations.

The visit also provided an opportunity for the judges to meet with members of the Irish and Northern Ireland judiciary and other legal professionals.

The judges began their trip in Dublin with a visit to the Criminal Courts of Justice and the Four Courts, where they met with High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville.

The judges also attended workshops at the Law Library with leading international academic experts Dr Paul Bradfield, Professor Raymond Murphy and Professor Shane Darcy from the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Further workshops were delivered by Judge Fergal Gaynor (Kosovo Specialist Chambers), Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees (Swansea University) and Jason Antley (international justice consultant).

In Belfast, the judges were welcomed to the Royal Courts of Justice by the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Dame Siobhan Keegan, before enjoying a tour of the courts and the Bar Library led by Iryna Kennedy BL.

The judges engaged in fruitful discussions with Mr Justice Stephen Fowler; the Recorder of Belfast, Judge Patricia Smyth; Judge Geoffrey Miller KC; and Judge Patrick McGurgan.

The judges attended workshops at Queen’s University Belfast with leading professors Brice Dickson, Christopher McCrudden and Luke Moffet, covering topics including reparations, the independence of the judiciary in Northern Ireland and addressing legacy issues post-conflict. 

The visit concluded with a reception hosted by the president of the Law Society of Ireland, Eamon Harrington, in Blackhall Place, where the judges met with members of the Irish judiciary and others from the legal professions. 

The judges expressed gratitude for the visit and expressed a willingness and desire to continue to strengthen the linkages between Ukraine and Irish legal professionals with the aim of mutually learning and sharing experiences.