I propose to take Questions Nos. 671 to 677, inclusive, together.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of judicial appointments from 2010 to date in 2014 is set out in the tables.
The Deputy will be aware that, under the Constitution, judges are appointed by the President on the advice of the Government. The current process for the appointment of judges in Ireland is set out in sections 12 to 17 of the Courts and Courts Officers Act 1995 which established the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.
Under section 16 of the Act, where a judicial office stands vacant or before a vacancy in a judicial office arises, the Advisory Board submits to the Minister for Justice and Equality the names of the persons whom it recommends for appointment. The Minister then brings the names to Government. Section 17 of the same Act provides that these procedures shall not apply where the Government propose to advise the President to appoint a serving judge.
A review of the current procedures for appointment to judicial office is ongoing in my Department and a public consultation was initiated in December 2013. The submissions to the review are currently being given detailed consideration in my Department.
In respect of the Court of Appeal, on 25 February 2014 the Government announced a serving Judge of the High Court, the Hon. Mr. Justice Seán Ryan as President Designate of the Court of Appeal. On 23 July 2014 the Government announced 6 serving judges of the High Court as Judges designate of that Court, of which four were male and two were female. Formal nominations for appointment to the Court of Appeal will take place once the Court has been established.
Six Specialist Judges of the Circuit Court were appointed on 15 July 2013. Applications for these posts were made through the JAAB and eligibility to apply was confined to serving County Registrars. Of the persons appointed as Specialist Judges four were female and two were male.
In addition to the figures in the following tables, there are three vacancies on the High Court to which the Government has made nominations and the appointments are due to be made by the President shortly.
Judges Appointed 2010 to 2014
|
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Supreme Court
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
|
High Court
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
14
|
|
Circuit Court
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
7
|
0
|
18
|
|
District Court
|
4
|
4
|
9
|
2
|
3
|
22
|
|
Total
|
9
|
8
|
22
|
13
|
10
|
62
|
Judges Appointed to the Supreme Court 2010 to 2014 - Former occupation
|
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Junior Counsel
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Senior Counsel
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Solicitor
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Serving Judge
|
1
|
1*
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
|
Total
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
*Appointment of the Hon. Mrs. Justice Susan Denham as Chief Justice on 25 July 2011
Judges Appointed to the High Court 2010 to 2014 - Former occupation
|
High Court
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Junior Counsel
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Senior Counsel
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
12
|
|
Solicitor
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Serving Judge
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Total
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
14
|
Judges Appointed to the Circuit Court 2010 to 2014
- Former occupation
|
Circuit Court
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Junior Counsel
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Senior Counsel
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Solicitor
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Serving Judge
|
0
|
1
|
2*
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
|
County Registrar
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
|
Total
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
7
|
0
|
18
|
*Includes the appointment of the Hon. Mr. Justice Raymond Groarke as President of the Circuit Court on 13 July 2012
Judges Appointed to the District Court 2010 to 2014 - Former occupation
|
District Court
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Junior Counsel
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
|
Senior Counsel
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Solicitor
|
3
|
4
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
18
|
|
Serving Judge
|
0
|
0
|
1*
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Total
|
4
|
4
|
9
|
2
|
3
|
22
|
*Appointment of Her Hon. Judge Rosemary Horgan as President of the District Court on 13 July 2012
Judges Appointed 2010 to 2014 - Male/Female Breakdown
|
Year
|
Supreme Court
|
Supreme Court
|
High Court
|
High Court
|
Circuit Court
|
Circuit Court
|
District Court
|
District Court
|
|
|
M
|
F
|
M
|
F
|
M
|
F
|
M
|
F
|
|
2010
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
|
2011
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
2012
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
|
2013
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
|
2014
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Total
|
5
|
3
|
10
|
4
|
7
|
11
|
11
|
11
|
Judges Appointed 2010 to 2014 - JAAB
|
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Supreme Court
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
High Court
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
13
|
|
Circuit Court
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
14
|
|
District Court
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
21
|
|
Total
|
8
|
5
|
17
|
10
|
9
|
49
|
Judges Appointed 2010 to 2014 -
Where Section 17 of the Courts and Courts Officers Act 1995 applies
|
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Total
|
|
Supreme Court
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
|
High Court
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Circuit Court
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
|
District Court
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Total
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
13
|
