Establishment Of A New Judicial Appointments Commission Announced.

New independent Commission will select and recommend candidates for all judicial offices in Ireland and in EU and international courts.
A new application and interview process will apply to all judicial vacancies.
Candidates will be required to undergo continuous professional development.

Legislation providing for the establishment of the Judicial Appointments Commission on 1st January 2025 has commenced today. This marks the most substantial reform in the way judges are chosen for appointment in almost thirty years.
The Judicial Appointments Commission Act establishes a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission to select and recommend persons for all judicial offices in Ireland; in the EU and International courts.

The new reforms provided for, include:

Reduction in the number of recommendations: 3 candidates to be recommended for a vacancy and an additional 2 recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. For example, this would mean 7 recommendations for 3 vacancies.
Only candidates recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission to be nominated by the Government for appointment by the President.
All judicial posts, whether a first appointment or a promotion from another court will be governed by the procedure.
Interviews: For the first time, all nominees will have been interviewed.
Diversity: The Commission will have the objective that membership of the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population as a whole.
Continuous Professional Development: Candidates will be required to show they have undertaken judicial training or continuous professional development.
The Judicial Appointments Commission will set out best practice selection procedures including interviews and the knowledge, skills and attributes required of judges.

Commission Membership.
Membership of the Judicial Appointments Commission, which will be chaired by Chief Justice, The Hon. Mr. Justice Donal O’Donnell and will include:-
The Hon. Ms. Justice Caroline Costello, (President of the Court of Appeal).
Attorney General Rossa Fanning (SC).
The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Rose Gearty, (High Court).
Judge Alan Mitchell, (District Court).
Ms. Bernie Gray, (Human Resources and Governance expert).
Dr. Eleanor O’Higgins, (Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Business, University College Dublin and Associate, London School of Economics and Political Science).
Dr. Rónán Kennedy, (Associate Professor in the School of Law, University of Galway).
Dr. Terrence McWade, (Former CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland).