High Court to hold extra sittings during vacation period

Additional High Court sittings are to be held in September during the traditional two-month vacation period.

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, president of the court, said today that asylum, family law, commercial and personal injury assessments were among the matters that would be covered during the period.

Cases falling under the Hague and Luxembourg Convention, motion lists and leave applications would also be covered.

“These sittings will be additional to the existing vacation arrangements,” Mr Justice Kearns said in a statement released by the Courts Service.

In January, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter wrote to the Chief Justice suggesting judges might make savings by working longer hours and reducing the court vacations.

The higher courts sit for about 40 weeks and their holidays include a two-month vacation over August and September. The District Court sits all year.