Judicial appointments to take place on Thursday

A number of judicial appointments to the High Court and the Circuit Court are to take place on Thursday.

President Michael D Higgins will appoint Mary Ellen Ring as a judge of the High Court on Thursday evening at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Ms Justice Ring has served as a judge of the Circuit Court since April 2012, having previously worked as a member of the National Crime Council and as chair of the Irish Women Lawyers Association.

Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin will be appointed to the Circuit Court, following the vacancy left by Ms Justice Ring's movement to the High Court.

John Aylmer SC will also be appointed to the Circuit Court by the President, following the vacancy left by the death of Katherine Delahunt in April.

Government nominations

Mr Aylmer and Ms Justice Ní Chúlacháin were nominated by the Government at a meeting on Tuesday, from a list of candidates from the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.

Mr Aylmer has practiced mainly in criminal law, but has experience in administrative, planning and local government law, as well as judicial review.

Ms Justice Ní Chúlacháin served as the legal chairwoman of mental health tribunals from 2006 to 2013, before being appointed to the District Court.