The Annual Report of the Supreme Court of Ireland provides an overview of the work of the Supreme Court both inside and outside of the courtroom.

In 2025, the Supreme Court saw: 170 applications for leave to appeal resolved, 46 applications granted leave (27 per cent), 121 applications refused leave (71 per cent), 42 full appeals resolved, 80 judgments delivered and 3 requests to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a preliminary ruling.

The Supreme Court also held its first sitting on the North Western Circuit, hearing an appeal in Letterkenny Courthouse, Donegal in April 2025. This marked the Supreme Courts’s first sitting in the northwest and its first sitting outside of Dublin since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During its visit to Letterkenny, the Court undertook a structured programme of outreach to support greater public understanding of the work of the judiciary and to strengthen engagement with the regional community. The programme included outreach at second-level schools, where members of the Court participated in Comhrá sessions with students at Mulroy College, Milford and Finn Valley College, Stranorlar.

2025 also saw Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell elected president of the Network of Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union in November. The election took place at the Network’s meeting in The Hague, continuing Ireland’s long-standing tradition of active engagement in this important European forum.

The Network brings together the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of the 27 EU member states, along with associate members and observers, to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation and provide perspectives to European institutions on issues affecting the judiciary. It serves as a vital platform for dialogue on matters of common interest, including judicial independence and the rule of law.

In October 2025, the Supreme Court commenced a pilot project to record and broadcast its proceedings, including oral argument in substantive appeal hearings and the delivery of judgments, on the Supreme Court website. The pilot operates within the framework set out in Practice Direction SC24 issued by the Chief Justice to provide guidance on the scope and safeguards applicable to the recording and broadcasting of proceedings.

The purpose of the pilot is to support the principle of open justice, enhance public access to proceedings of general public importance and assist accurate reporting and educational use of broadcast recordings. Practice Direction SC24 identifies categories of proceedings that are excluded and indicates that the decision to broadcast in any individual case is at the discretion of the Supreme Court.