THE JUDICIAL Appointments Advisory Board has advertised for judges on both the Supreme Court and the High Court.
A vacancy will be created on the Supreme Court by the retirement of Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan, which will take place on May 14th. The closing date for applications is May 13th.
There is no vacancy on the High Court at present, but one will be created if there is a promotion of a High Court judge to the Supreme Court bench.
Among the High Court judges likely to be considered are Mr Justice Iarlaith O’Neill and Mr Justice Frank Clarke, the two recent chairmen of the Referendum Commission when it was convened for the two Lisbon referendums.
However, the Government could go outside the judiciary and nominate a leading senior counsel to the Supreme Court, as it did in the most recent appointment, when it nominated Donal O’Donnell SC.
Names being mentioned in this regard are those of the Attorney General, Paul Gallagher SC, and Brian Murray SC, both of whom have, like Mr O’Donnell, extensive experience of acting for the State.
The advertisement, published in The Irish Timeson April 23rd, stated: "Notice is hereby given that applications are invited from practising barristers and solicitors who are eligible for appointment to the Office of Ordinary Judge of the Supreme Court and to the Office of Ordinary Judge of the High Court."
It states that fully completed application forms may be considered for future vacancies that might arise on the Supreme and High Courts in 2010, that applicants must provide a Tax Clearance Certificate and may be required to attend for interview.
The advertisement is only applicable to solicitors and barristers, as existing judges do not have to apply to the advisory board for promotion to a higher court jurisdiction. Under the 2002 Courts and Court Officers Act, which set up the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, it draws up a list, in no particular order, of suitable candidates for presentation to the Government, but the Government is not obliged to nominate a person from the list provided.
Among those qualified for appointment to the Supreme Court are judges of the High Court, of the Circuit Court of no fewer than two years standing, judges of various European and international courts on which Irish judges do or may sit, and barristers or solicitors of not fewer than 12 years standing.
While the Government nominates a person as a judge, the President formally makes the appointment.