Government appoints largest number of new judges

The Cabinet has approved the appointment of 17 new judges to serve in the High Court, the Circuit Court and the District Court

Approval was also given by the Government at its meeting yesterday for the appointment of a new chairman of the Residential Institutions Redress Board.

It is understood the decision represents the largest number of judicial appointments ever at a single time.

Six of the judges are to be appointed to the High Court, five to the Circuit Court and six to the District Court.

Among those appointed to the High Court are former Fine Gael Minister George Birmingham and well-known solicitor Garret Sheehan.

Mr Birmingham served as a junior Minister in the Fine Gael/Labour administration in the mid-1980s.

A senior counsel since 1999, his areas of practice include administrative law/judicial review, criminal law and general practice. He is a prominent prosecutor in criminal cases.

Mr Sheehan has one of the largest criminal law defence practices in the country. He is only the second solicitor to be appointed directly to the High Court.

John Edwards SC has also been appointed to the High Court. A senior counsel since 1998, his areas of practice include administrative law/judicial review and criminal law. His areas of specialisation include arbitration and dispute resolution.

The Government has also appointed Mary Irvine as a judge to the High Court. She has been a senior counsel since 1996.

Circuit Court judge Bryan McMahon has also been appointed as a judge to the High Court. A judge of the Circuit Court since 1999, he is also currently chairman of the Abbey Theatre. Formerly a solicitor and legal academic, Judge McMahon has co-authored a number of legal textbooks.

Cork-based senior counsel Patrick McCarthy has also been appointed to the High Court bench.

The Cabinet has also appointed the former president of the law society, Gerry Griffin, as a judge of the Circuit Court. From Dublin, he has a solicitor's practice in Terenure which specialises in personal injuries and civil litigation.

Petria McDonnell, a partner in McCann Fitzgerald, has also been appointed as a Circuit Court judge. She is an expert in maritime law and mediation and arbitration. She is described as a very experienced practitioner in civil litigation, and was one of the first female partners in McCann Fitzgerald. Rory McCabe, Tony Hunt and Martin Nolan complete the list.

Among the District Court judges appointed is John Lindsay. He is the son of former Fine Gael Minister and master of the High Court Patrick Lindsay.