Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 1

Written Answers. - Judicial Appointments.

Nora Owen

Question:

241 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number and names of all persons appointed to judicial positions from July 1997 to date in 2000 giving dates of appointments, the court to which the person was appointed; and if the person was recommended by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board. [26031/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Judges are appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Government. Since this Government took office the President has made the following judicial appointments:

Supreme Court

Name	Date of Appointment
John L. Murray	07.10.1999
Catherine McGuinness	07.02.2000
Adrian Hardiman	07.02.2000
Hugh Geoghegan	07.03.2000
Nial Fennelly	10.10.2000

High Court

Name	Date of Appointment
Matthew P. Smith	23.01.1998
Nicholas Kearns	31.11.1998
Cyril Kelly*	31.11.1998
Fidelma Macken**	09.12.1998
Iarfhlaith O'Neill	23.07.1999
Aindrias O'Caoimh	15.11.1999
Joseph Finnegan	15.11.1999
Roderick Murphy	07.02.2000
Paul Butler	05.05.2000
Daniel Herbert	05.05.2000
Liam McKechnie	03.10.2000

*Resigned 20.04.1999

**Resigned 05.10.1999

The Circuit Court

Name	Date of Appointment
John D. O'Hagan	17.04.1998
Yvonne Murphy	17.04.1998
John P. Clifford	17.04.1998
Bryan McMahon	20.05.1999
Desmond Hogan	03.02.2000

The District Court

Name	Date of Appointment
James Scally	23.07.1998
Mary Devins	20.10.1998
Thomas E. O'Donnell	20.10.1998
James O'Connor	20.10.1998
David Anderson	20.10.1998
Sean M. McBride	30.09.1999
Patrick Brady	30.09.1999
Timothy Lucey	30.09.1999
Leo J. Malone	30.09.1999
David Maughan	10.02.2000
Gerard Furlong	13.10.2000

Appointments have also been made to the Offices of Chief Justice, President of the High Court and President of the Circuit Court, from amongst the serving judges of the respective courts, as follows:–

Name	Date of Appointment
Ronan C. Keane(Chief Justice)	31.01.2000
Frederick Morris(President of the High Court)	14.01.1998
Esmond Smyth(President of the Circuit Court)	03.04.1998

The appropriate procedures under the Courts and Court Officers Act, 1995, have been followed in all cases. All of the new appointees to judicial office were chosen from amongst the list of candidates recommended by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.