Government Grants Admission to Inner Bar

Issued by the Government Press Office

The Government recently granted Patents of Precedence entitling the following barristers to admission to the Inner Bar:

Mr Niall Hill, B.L.
Mr John Edward Donnelly, B.L.
Ms Dara Mary Foynes, B.L.
Mr John Kennedy, B.L.
Mr Frank Mitchell, B.L.
Ms Elaine Morgan, B.L.
Ms Peggy O'Rourke, B.L.
Mr Brendan Kirwan, B.L.
Mr Stephen Dodd, B.L.
Mr Mark John Dunne, B.L.
Mr Edward Farrelly, B.L.
Miss Margaret Gray, B.L.
Mr Ronan Kennedy, B.L.

The date for these barristers to be called to the Inner Bar will be fixed by the Chief Justice.

An Advisory Committee consisting of the Chief Justice, the President of the High Court, the Attorney General and the Chairperson of the Bar Council makes recommendations to the Government concerning the grant of Patents of Precedence. In future, such recommendations to the Government will be dealt with by a new Advisory Committee to be established by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. The new Advisory Committee will also include the President of the Law Society and a lay member of the Authority, and solicitors as well as barristers will be able to apply for a Patent of Precedence: at present only barristers may do so.