At its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday of this week, the Government nominated the following for appointment to the Judiciary:
Teresa Pilkington Senior Counsel, appointed to the High Court;Senan Allen Senior Counsel, appointed to the High Court;Michael Quinn solicitor, appointed to the High Court;James McCourt solicitor, appointed to the Circuit Court; andEirinn McKiernan solicitor, appointed to the District Court.
The appointment of further members to the Judiciary is certain...
At its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday of this week, the Government nominated the following for appointment to the Judiciary:
Teresa Pilkington Senior Counsel, appointed to the High Court;
Senan Allen Senior Counsel, appointed to the High Court;
Michael Quinn solicitor, appointed to the High Court;
James McCourt solicitor, appointed to the Circuit Court; and
Eirinn McKiernan solicitor, appointed to the District Court.
The appointment of further members to the Judiciary is certainly welcomed in circumstances where it is now taking months for cases to be allocated hearing dates. The Court of Appeal in particular is at present allocating hearing dates in late 2019.
The extent of the pressure on the system was only recently highlighted by Mr. Justice Peter Kelly in a Public Notice issued on 6 July 2018, informing that due to a shortage of judges to hear cases, redeployment of judges from the High Court was necessary to ensure that trials in the Central Criminal Court, Family Law, Wards of Court and Commercial Lists were not postponed. This redeployment will inevitably result in further delays in the High Court, with cases having to be adjourned at short notice.
The names of the nominees are now being forwarded for official appointment by the President and it is hoped that further nominations will follow.