Judicial Appointments

The controversial Judicial Appointments Commission Bill has completed the final stage in the Seanad after 125 hours of debate. The Government imposed a guillotine last night to bring debate on the legislation to an end, despite protests from opposition politicians.

The controversial Judicial Appointments Bill has been amended in the Seanad to allow former barristers and solicitors to be considered "lay persons" three years after leaving practice. The bill previously provided that someone could not be considered a "lay person" until 15 years after ceasing to pr

Ms Justice Mary Baker has been nominated for elevation to the Supreme Court in a trio of nominations agreed by the Cabinet yesterday. She has served on the Court of Appeal bench since June 2018, having previously served as a judge of the High Court from 2014.

Four senior barristers and a solicitor have been nominated for appointment to the High Court. At a meeting yesterday, the Government nominated Brian O'Moore SC, Mark Sanfey SC, Mary Rose Gearty SC, Niamh Hyland SC and solicitor Mark Heslin for appointment by the president.

Mr Justice Michael Peart, the first solicitor appointed to the High Court, has retired from the Court of Appeal. The president of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, led tributes to the retiring judge on Friday.

The Association of Judges of Ireland (AJI) raised concerns about the quality of applicants for appointment to the bench in a letter to the Public Service Pay Commission two years ago. The letter, written by Mr Justice George Birmingham in his capacity as association president, outlines concerns amon

Seven judges have been nominated by Government for appointment to the enlarged Court of Appeal. Legislation to increase the number of ordinary judges in the Court of Appeal from nine to 15 was approved by the Oireachtas in July.

Mr Justice Bernard McCloskey has been sworn in as a Lord Justice of Appeal in Northern Ireland. The senior judge, who was appointed to the High Court in 2008, was sworn into office at a ceremony in the Royal Courts of Justice this morning.

Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of Lord Reed as the next president of the UK Supreme Court. Lord Reed will succeed Baroness Hale of Richmond as president, alongside three additional appointments as justices.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly has been nominated by ministers for appointment to the Court of Appeal. The judge, who called to the Bar in 1988 and the Inner Bar in 2004, has sat on the High Court bench since 2014.

Sir Donnell Deeny, Lord Justice of Appeal, is set to retire from the bench this autumn. Lord Justice Deeny, who was appointed to the Court of Appeal bench in 2017, will turn 70 next April.

The Government has accepted an amendment to its controversial Judicial Appointments Commission Bill to make it easier for sitting judges of the superior courts to be promoted. The bill originally provided that a sitting judge of the superior courts who wanted to apply for a vacancy in the High Court

The Government's embattled Judicial Appointments Commission Bill has not completed committee stage in the Seanad before Easter despite a bid to end the long-running parliamentary debate yesterday morning. Senators defeated an attempt to guillotine the committee stage debate on the bill, which Justic

Ms Justice Mary Irvine has been nominated by the Government for elevation to the Supreme Court. She previously served as a High Court judge from 2007 until 2014, when she was moved to the then-new Court of Appeal.

Barrister Mark McGarrity was sworn in as a district judge in the Magistrates' Courts this morning. A graduate of Queen's University Belfast and the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS), he called to The Bar of Northern Ireland in 2004 and The Bar of Ireland in 2011.