Judicial Appointments

The English courts are to hear a challenge to the judicial appointments process on the basis that it still involves "secret soundings" which act as a barrier to diversity on the bench. A member of the GMB trade union's dedicated branch for members of the judiciary is challenging the Judicial Appoint

Paul McLaughlin KC has been appointed as a judge of Northern Ireland's High Court. Mr Justice McLaughlin was sworn into office before Dame Siobhan Keegan, the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, on Friday.

The long-awaited new Judicial Appointments Commission has been formally established and will soon begin to advertise judicial vacancies. The first judicial vacancies to be filled under the new system will be advertised online "in the coming days and weeks", the Courts Service has said.

Temperament, patience and listening skills should be among factors taken into account in deciding whether to appoint a lawyer as a judge, a new report has recommended. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) yesterday published the new report on judicial selection procedures in Ireland, based o

There is no pressing need to change the number of judges on the Supreme Court, justice minister Helen McEntee has said. Independent TD Carol Nolan asked the minister why she had decided not to increase the number of judges, and also whether the number of judges should be reduced over time given the

Mr Justice Denis McDonald and former CJEU advocate-general Anthony Collins are to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and former Bar Council chairperson Sara Phelan SC is to join the High Court bench. The nominations, along with those of three new District Court judges, were agreed by ministers yest

The Law Society of Ireland has welcomed the government's commitment to appointing 20 additional judges. Helen McEntee, the justice minister, announced yesterday that she had secured support from her ministerial colleagues for legislation paving the way for the second phase of appointments recommende

Plans to appoint 20 additional judges on a phased basis have been approved by the government. The appointments represent the second phase of the appointment of 44 additional judges as recommended by the Judicial Planning Working Group in February 2023.

The Law Society of Ireland has expressed concern over the absence of practising solicitors and barristers on the new Judicial Appointments Commission. Justice minister Helen McEntee yesterday unveiled the membership of the Commission, which is to be established from 1 January 2025.

The long-awaited Judicial Appointments Commission is to be established from the beginning of 2025. In the biggest shake-up to the judicial appointments process in almost 30 years, only candidates recommended by the new Commission will be nominated by the government for appointment by the president.

Judge Suzanne Kingston and Judge Colm Mac Eochaidh have been formally reappointed to the General Court of the European Union for a further six-year term. The two Irish judges will serve an additional term from 1 September 2025 until 31 August 2031.

Ms Justice Caroline Costello has been formally appointed as president of the Court of Appeal. She was chosen by government ministers in July this year to succeed Mr Justice George Birmingham, who held the post since 2018.

Patricia MacBride has been appointed as a lay member of the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC). Ms MacBride, who was a lay magistrate from 2005 until 2008, has been appointed for a five-year term until 2 September 2029.

Ms Justice Niamh Hyland is to be appointed to the Court of Appeal in one of a series of judicial appointments approved by ministers yesterday. The High Court judge will fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh in order to be appointed to the Europ

Ms Justice Caroline Costello has been picked by government ministers as the next president of the Court of Appeal. She will succeed Mr Justice George Birmingham, who has held the post since 2018 and is due to retire on Sunday 4 August 2024.