merrion street

At its meeting today, the Government nominated seven persons for appointment by the President to the Circuit Court and five persons for appointment by the President to the District Court.

Those nominated for appointment to the Circuit are as follows: Sarah Berkeley, BL; Pauline Codd, BL; Barry Hickson, SC; Keenan Johnson, Solicitor, Mary Ellen Ring, SC; Judge David Riordan (Judge of the District Court); Carmel Stewart, SC.

Those nominated for appointment to the District Court are as follows: Alan J. Mitchell, Solicitor; Eugene O’ Kelly, Solicitor; Marie Quirke, Solicitor; Kevin Staunton, Solicitor and Michael Walsh, Solicitor.

These appointments arise mainly from judicial retirements between September 2011 and February 2012 as well as the death last summer of His Hon Judge Con Murphy and the promotion to the High Court in October last of His Hon Judge Michael White.

The Government also made the following permanent assignments to the Circuit Court: Sarah Berkeley, BL; Mary Ellen Ring, SC; and Carmel Stewart SC; were assigned to the Dublin Circuit and Judge David Riordan was assigned to the Cork Circuit. Pauline Codd, BL; Barry Hickson, SC and Keenan Johnson, Solicitor 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.

The Government has taken the necessary steps to formally advise President Higgins of the nominations in accordance with constitutional procedure.