Six lawyers — solicitors Valerie Corcoran, Liz Healy and Catherine Ryan, and barristers Emile Daly BL, Karen Dowling BL and Áine Shannon BL — have been nominated for appointment to fill District Court vacancies.

A seventh lawyer, barrister Derek Cooney BL, has been nominated in principle for appointment to the District Court to fill a vacancy which will arise later this month.

Jim O’Callaghan, the justice minister, welcomed today’s nominations as “an important milestone for the justice system and democracy in the State”.

After years of debate, the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023 established a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission from the start of this year with a remit to select and recommend persons for all judicial offices in Ireland and in the EU and international courts.

The Commission, chaired by the chief justice and including both judges and lay members, was heralded as the biggest reform in 30 years in how judges are chosen for appointment.

It recommends three candidates for any vacancy and an additional two candidates for second and additional vacancies. Where there are three vacancies, for example, the Commission makes seven recommendations.

Only candidates recommended by the new Commission can be nominated by the government for appointment by the president.

“The system for judicial appointment in Ireland is a crucial mechanism to uphold the independence of the judiciary, which is a central element of Ireland’s constitutional framework,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“The new Act and the work of the Judicial Appointments Commission ensures a rigorous, transparent, and merit-based application process for nomination as a judge.

“The candidates nominated today have successfully undergone this process and I wish them every success in their important new roles.”

Mr Gillane is set to join the High Court bench to fill the vacancy arising from the elevation of Mr Justice Denis McDonald to the Court of Appeal in December 2024.

He has extensive experience of practice in the criminal courts, having called to the bar in 1997 and taking silk in 209. He is a graduate of University College Cork (UCC) and the King’s Inns.

The initial six District Court appointments will fill the vacancies arising from the death of Judge Marie Quirke in January and the retirements of Judge James G. McNulty, Judge Mary Fahy, Judge Bryan Smyth, Judge John Lindsay and Judge Dermot Dempsey over the past eight months.

Ms Corcoran is a Galway-based solicitor with 25 years’ experience. She is a graduate of what was then University College Galway (UCG) with a BA in economics and applied mathematical science.

Ms Daly is a Donegal-based barrister with over 25 years’ experience. She holds a BCL from University College Dublin and a BL degree from the King’s Inns. She is a former vice-chair of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and a current adjudicator at the Workplace Relations Commission.

Ms Dowling has practised as a barrister in Dublin for 19 years. She completed the Trinity access programme in 1998 and obtained LLB and MLitt degrees, as well as a BL degree from the King’s Inns. She also holds a diploma in judicial studies and decision-making from the Law Society of Ireland.

Ms Healy is a Kerry-based solicitor who is currently managing solicitor of Tralee Law Centre and a former solicitor with the Legal Aid Board. She holds a bachelor of laws from Flinders University of South Australia.

Ms Ryan is a Limerick-based solicitor who is currently managing solicitor at the Legal Aid Board Limerick and a former managing solicitor at the Legal Aid Board in Tipperary. She holds BCL and LLM degrees from University Collge Cork.

Ms Shannon has practised as a barrister in Dublin for 25 years and has chaired the Mental Health Tribunal since 2013. She holds an LLB degree from UCG, an LLM degree in criminology from University College London and a BL degree from the King’s Inns.

The seventh appointee to the District Court, Mr Cooney, has practised as a barrister on the Dublin Circuit for 25 years. He holds a diploma in legal studies from Dublin Institute of Technology and a BL degree from the King’s Inns.