The Government has nominated 11 judges for appointment by the President. It has nominated Mr Justice Kearns, currently a judge of the High Court, to sit on the Supreme Court. The vacancy was created by the appointment of Mr Justice Murray as Chief Justice, replacing Mr Justice Keane, who retired earlier this year.
The recently enacted Civil Liability and Courts Act created three vacancies each in the High Court and Circuit Court, and two in the District Court. Two additional vacancies were created in the High Court and the Circuit Court by the promotion of serving judges.
The Government nominated four people to serve on the High Court, one of them already a judge of the Circuit Court, and the remaining three senior counsel. They are Judge Elizabeth Dunne, Mr Michael Hanna SC, Mr John MacMenamin SC and Mr Frank Clarke SC.
It has nominated Ms Doirbhile Flanagan SC, Mr Donagh McDonagh SC, Mr Con Murphy, solicitor and Mr Terence O'Sullivan SC to the Circuit Court.
It nominated Mr Hugh O'Donnell, solicitor, and Ms Anne Ryan BL to the District Court.
Ms Flanagan is a graduate of UCD and was called to the Bar in 1977. She became a senior counsel in 2000 and is chairwoman of the Censorship of Publications Board. Mr McDonagh was formerly an officer in the Army and was advocate-general of the Defence Forces for 11 years.
Mr Con Murphy is a solicitor from Bandon, Co Cork. He is a member of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Mr Terence O'Sullivan was called to the Bar in 1979. Mr O'Donnell, a UCD graduate, practised in Dublin, and Ms Ryan was insurance ombudsman for Ireland from 2000 to 2001.