Preasráitis

Minister Jim O'Callaghan announces first judicial nominations following establishment of the Judicial Appointments Commission

Ó: An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt, Gnóthaí Baile agus Imirce
Foilsithe:
An t-eolas is déanaí: 8 Iúil 2025

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan, is pleased to announce that the government has, today, nominated eight new members for appointment to the judiciary. One judicial nomination has been made in relation to the High Court and six nominations in relation to the District Court. The government has also made one nomination in principle to the District Court.

These are the first judicial nominations following the establishment of the Judicial Appointments Commission on 1 January 2025.

The Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023 established a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission to select and recommend persons for all judicial offices in Ireland and in the EU and international courts. The Act provides for the biggest reform in thirty years in how judges are chosen for appointment. Only candidates recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission can be nominated by the government for appointment by the President.

Welcoming today’s nominations Minister O’Callaghan said:

“Today marks an important milestone for the justice system and democracy in the State.

“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.

“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.”

At Cabinet today, the government appointed Mr. Sean Gillane S.C., to the High Court. This vacancy in the High Court arose due to the elevation of the Hon. Mr. Justice Denis McDonald to the Court of Appeal on 10 December 2024.

The government has also made the following nominations to the District Court:

Ms. Valerie Corcoran, Solicitor
Ms. Emile Daly B.L.
Ms. Karen Dowling B.L.
Ms. Liz Healy, Solicitor
Ms. Catherine Ryan, Solicitor
Ms. Áine Shannon, B.L.

The six vacancies in the District Court arose due to:

the retirement of Judge James G. McNulty on 5 December 2024
the death of Judge Marie Quirke on 21 January 2025
the retirement of Judge Mary Fahy on 31 January 2025
the retirement of Judge Bryan Smyth on 19 April 2025
the retirement of Judge John Lindsay on 21 April 2025
the retirement of Judge Dermot Dempsey on 19 May 2025

The government has also nominated Mr Derek Cooney B.L. in principle to the District Court.

There is one pending vacancy in the District Court due to an upcoming retirement of a judge on 24 July 2025.

Notes

The historic reforms provided for under the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023 include:

three candidates to be recommended for a vacancy and an additional two recommendations for second and additional vacancies. For example, this would mean seven recommendations for three vacancies
only candidates recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission will be nominated by the government for appointment by the President
all judicial posts, whether a first appointment or an elevation from another court will be governed by the new procedures
for the first time, all nominees will have been interviewed
the Commission will have the objective that membership of the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population as a whole and that the membership of the judiciary in each court should comprise equal numbers of male and female members, in so far as possible

Limited biographical details

Nomination to the High Court

Mr. Sean Gillane SC.

Senior Counsel since 2009
practising extensively in the criminal courts
UCC BCL and LLM degrees. Kings Inns BL degree

Six Nominations to the District Court

Ms. Valerie Corcoran.

Galway based Solicitor
Practising Solicitor in Galway for 25 years
Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Applied Mathematical Science from UCG
Law Society of Ireland qualified solicitor

Ms. Emile Daly, BL.

Donegal based barrister
Practising Barrister for over 25 years
BCL degree from UCD and BL degree from the Kings Inns
former vice chair of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and current Adjudicator at the Workplace Relations Commission

Ms. Karen Dowling, BL.

Dublin based barrister
Practising Barrister for 19 years
Trinity Access Programme (1998). LLB and M. LITT degrees from Trinity College
BL degree from the Kings Inns
Diploma in Judicial Studies and Decision Making, Law Society of Ireland

Ms. Liz Healy, Solicitor.

Kerry based Solicitor
Managing Solicitor Tralee Law Centre and former solicitor with the Legal Aid Board
Bachelor of Laws, Flinders University of South Australia
Law Society of Ireland qualified solicitor

Ms. Catherine Ryan, Solicitor.

Limerick based Solicitor
Managing Solicitor at the Legal Aid Board Limerick
former Managing Solicitor at the Legal Aid Board in Tipperary
BCL and LLM degrees from UCC

Ms. Áine Shannon BL.

Dublin based barrister
practising barrister for 25 years
LLB degree from UCG. LLM degree in Criminology from University College London
BL degree from the Kings Inns
Chairperson of the Mental Health Tribunal since 2013

One Nomination in principle to the District Court

Mr. Derek Cooney, BL.