Chief Justice of Ireland
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The Chief Justice of Ireland (Irish: Príomh-Bhreitheamh na hÉireann) is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.[1][2]
Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;
- A possible judge of the High Court.
- A member of the Council of State (a position retained on retirement).
- A member of the Presidential Commission.
Contents
Statutory roles
Under s. 2(5) of the Referendum Act 1998, the Chief Justice nominates the chairperson of the Referendum Commission.
List of Chief Justices
| No. | Name | Term of office | Nominated by | Appointed by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hugh Kennedy | 1924 | 1936 | W. T. Cosgrave (4th Dáil) | Timothy Healy | Died in office |
| 2. | Timothy Sullivan | 1936 | 1946 | Éamon de Valera (8th Dáil) | Domhnall Ua Buachalla | |
| 3. | Conor Maguire | 1946 | 1961 | Éamon de Valera (12th Dáil) | Seán T. O'Kelly | |
| 4. | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (Carroll O'Daly)[3] |
1961 | 1973 | Seán Lemass (16th Dáil) | Éamon de Valera | Resigned on appointment to the European Court of Justice |
| 5. | William FitzGerald | 1973 | 1974 | Jack Lynch (19th Dáil) | Éamon de Valera | Died in office |
| 6. | Tom O'Higgins | 1974 | 1985 | Liam Cosgrave (20th Dáil) | Erskine H. Childers | Resigned on appointment to the European Court of Justice |
| 7. | Thomas Finlay | 1985 | 1994 | Garret FitzGerald (24th Dáil) | Patrick Hillery | |
| 8. | Liam Hamilton | 1994 | 2000 | Albert Reynolds (27th Dáil) | Mary Robinson | |
| 9. | Ronan Keane | 2000 | 2004 | Bertie Ahern (28th Dáil) | Mary McAleese | |
| 10. | John L. Murray | 2004 | 2011 | Bertie Ahern (29th Dáil) | Mary McAleese | |
| 11. | Susan Denham | 2011 | Incumbent | Enda Kenny (31st Dáil) | Mary McAleese | First woman Chief Justice |
Constitution of Ireland and the removal of a judge from office
There is no Twenty-second Amendment. The Twenty-second Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2001 [relating to the removal of a Judge from Office and providing for a body to be established by Law to investigate or cause to be investigated conduct constituting misbehaviour by a Judge or affected by incapacity of a Judge] was not passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas.[4]
See also
- List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Ireland
- Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
- Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
- Master of the Rolls in Ireland
Notes
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was created under the Courts of Justice Act 1924. Before 1924 the Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland[5] The Supreme Court sits in the Four Courts. When the Supreme Court sits as it mostly does in two chambers, the second chamber sits in the Hugh Kennedy Court, named after the First Chief Justice.[6]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Chief Justice of Ireland" is the name under which all Plenary Summonses are issued: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ During his legal career, Ó Dálaigh was known as Carroll O'Daly. See for instance The Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal, vol. 103 (1970), p. 289: "The Chief Justice the Hon. Carroll O'Daly"
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland Pages x-xii
- ↑ Source: The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 by Francis Erlington Ball (ISBN 1846300746)
- ↑ The Supreme Court of Ireland: A History by The Courts Service (ISBN 075571766X)
