Twelve new judges have been appointed to the Circuit Court and District Court today.
At today’s Cabinet meeting, the Government made the nominations for the judges to be appointed by the President.
Those nominated for appointment to the Circuit are: Sarah Berkeley, BL; Pauline Codd, BL; Barry Hickson, SC; Keenan Johnson, solicitor, Mary Ellen Ring, SC; Judge David Riordan (Judge of the District Court) and Carmel Stewart, SC.
Those nominated for appointment to the District Court are: Alan J. Mitchell, solicitor; Eugene O’ Kelly, solicitor; Marie Quirke, solicitor; Kevin Staunton, solicitor and Michael Walsh, solicitor.
The Government said the appointments arose mainly from judicial retirements between September 2011 and February 2012, as well as the death last summer of Judge Con Murphy, and the promotion to the High Court in October last of Judge Michael White.
New judges Sarah Berkeley, Mary Ellen Ring and Carmel Stewart have been permanently assigned to the Dublin Circuit Court. Judge David Riordan has been assigned to the Cork Circuit.
Pauline Codd, Barry Hickson, and Keenan Johnson will serve as unassigned judges of the Circuit Court.
Three further nominations to the District Court will be made by the Government following permanent assignments to District Court Districts in the coming weeks, a Government statement said.
It said it had taken the necessary steps to formally advise President Michael D Higgins of the nominations in accordance with constitutional procedure.
The number of judicial vacancies had risen to 17 following the recent retirement of two Supreme Court and one High Court judge.
But the Courts Service said in recent days this had not yet led to a disruption of court hearings.
However, it could not be guaranteed, a spokesman said, that there would not be disruption in the future to court hearings, due to a shortage of registrars, especially if the recruitment embargo continued. Registrars are essential to the running of court cases, as they record decisions and dates and draw up court orders.