Appointments to the Court of Appeal, High Court and Circuit Court

At its meeting yesterday, the Government agreed to nominate the Hon. Ms. Justice Niamh Hyland, as an Ordinary Judge of the Court of Appeal. The vacancy in the Court of Appeal arose following the appointment of the Hon. Ms. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh to the European Court of Human Rights earlier this month.

The Government also agreed to nominate Ms. Nessa Cahill, SC, as an Ordinary Judge of the High Court. The vacancy in the High Court arose following the appointment of the Hon. Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath to the Court of Appeal on 14 June 2024.

The Government also decided to nominate Mr. Roderick Maguire, BL, and Ms. Sinéad McMullan, BL, as Ordinary Judges of the Circuit Court. The vacancies in the Circuit Court arose following the retirements of Her Hon. Judge Alice Theresa Doyle on 7 June 2024 and His Hon. Judge Thomas O’Donnell on 27 June 2024.

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

Note for Editors

• In accordance with articles 13.9 and 35.1 of the Constitution, judicial appointments are made by the President acting on the advice of the Government.

Limited biographical details:

The Hon. Ms. Justice, Niamh Hyland:

• Educated at Trinity College Dublin, Magdalen College at the University of Oxford and the Honourable Society of King’s Inns.

• Called to the Bar in 1994.

• Called to the Inner Bar in 2012.

• Her legal practice mostly included EU, regulatory, constitutional, commercial, insurance and administrative law.

• Appointed to the High Court on 02/12/2019.

• Former member of the Board of Rehab, Director of Open Spectrum CLG, of the Bar Council and various committees. Former board member of the Irish Commercial Mediation Association.

Ms. Nessa Cahill, SC

• Educated at Trinity College Dublin, the College of Europe, Bruges, and the Honourable Society of King’s Inns.

• Called to the Bar in 1999.

• Called to the Inner Bar in 2020.

• Her legal practice mostly included commercial litigation, judicial review/ regulatory/ statutory proceedings, and advisory work in the area of financial services.

• Chair of the Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and of the Women and Law Mentoring Committee of the Bar of Ireland.

Mr. Roderick Maguire, BL

• Educated at Trinity College Dublin, the London School of Economics, Goldsmith’s College at the University of London and The Honourable Society of King’s Inns.

• Called to the Bar in 2003.

• His legal practice mostly included the areas of employment law, chancery, criminal law, contract disputes, personal injuries litigation and family law.

• Chair of the Mental Health Tribunal.

• Lecturer in Employment law at the Honourable Society of King’s Inns and former lecturer at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Ms. Sinéad McMullan, BL

• Educated at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Oxford and the Honourable Society of King’s Inns.

• Called to the Bar in 1998.

• Her legal practice specialised in criminal law, particularly in the area of prosecuting sexual offences involving vulnerable witnesses and advising on and prosecuting human trafficking offences for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

• Board member of the Parole Board as nominee of the Bar Council.

• Member of the Trinity Women in Law Mentorship Programme providing mentoring to students.

ENDS